MODERN METHODS 

OF 

TEx\CHING 



LANGUAGE READING SPELLING 



PATZER 





Class 
Book 



Copyright }1^. 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSrr 



MODERN METHODS 

OF 

TEACHING 

LANGUAGE READING SPELLING 



BY 

CONRAD E. PATZER 

Supervisor of Practice Teaching-, Milwaukee State Normal School 



CHICAGO 
H. M. DIXON & COMPANY 



copyeight 1914 
By H. M. Disoh 



GI.A37a97C 



OCT 12 1914 



T3 



CD 



PREFACE 

The methods of teaching Language, Reading and Spell- 
ing as presented in this volume are the result of many years 
of experience of the author both as a class teacher and as 
a supervisor. They have in the main been subjected to the 
crucial test of the schoolroom by the teachers of the ele- 
mentary school connected with the Milwaukee State Normal 
School. The author desires to acknowledge his obligations 
to the principal and the teachers of this school and to the 
teacher of Language Arts in the Normal School, for valu- 
able suggestions which have been embodied in the book. In 
the presentation of the methods no attempt at elaborateness 
is made. Simplicity, directness and naturalness have been 
the keynotes the author has had in mind. It was thought 
best to reduce the theoretical discussion of method to as 
brief a compass as possible, in order to secure the necessary 
space for illustrative exercises by means of which principles 
of teaching and special methods of procedure could be 
exemplified in a practical way. 



CONTENTS 

PART I 

THE TEACHING OF LANGUAGE 

CHAPTER PAGE 

I. Importance of Teaching English ... 1 

II. Observation Language Lessons .... 5 

III. Story Telling 13 

IV. Dramatization 55 

V. The Study of !Poetry 69 

VI. The Study of Pictures 87 

VII. Written Composition 101 

VIII. Letter Writing and Telegrams . . . .111 

IX. Correction of Compositions 125 

X. Critical Study of Selections as Models 

OF Style 131 

XI. Course of Study in Language .... 149 

PART II 
THE TEACHING OF READING 

L Discussion of Method ......... 159 

II. Illustrative Exercises 180 

PART III 
THE TEACHING OF SPELLING . . 237 



THE TEACHING OF LANGUAGE 

CHAPTER I 

IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING ENGLISH 

1. Our Cosmopolitan Population 

2. Relation Between Thought and Language 

(a) Influence of the Home 

(b) Function of the Teacher 

3. General Outline of Work in Language 

(a) Observation Language Lessons 

(b) Story Telling 

(c) Dramatization 

(d) The Study of Poetry 

(e) The Study of Pictures 

(f) Written Composition 

(g) Letter Writing and Telegrams 
(h) Correction of Compositions 

(i) Critical Study of Selections as Models of Style 



CHAPTER n 

OBSERVATION LANGUAGE LESSONS 

1. Children as Observers — Function of the home in direct- 

ing the observation of children 

2. Transition from Home to School 

vii 



viii :^IODERN METHODS 

3. Purposes of Observation Language Lessons 

(a) To cultivate the senses 

(b) To clarify and organize the body of knowledge 

the pupils acquire outside of school and to 
extend and enlarge this knowledge 

(c) To cultivate a love for nature 

(d) To cultivate language and thought power 

4. Selection of Materials 

5. The Desire to Collect Things 

6. Method of Presentation 

(a) How to get children to talk about what they see 

and know 

(b) How drawing helps 

7. Influence of These Lessons on Language 

8. How the Fact Side May Be Relieved 

9. Illustrative Exercise — The Robin 
10. Illustrative Exercise — Germination 



CHAPTER III 

STORY TELLING 

1. Kinds of Stories 

- (a) Fairy tales, folk-lore stories, myths and fables 

(b) Stories from history 

(c) Narratives in which wonderful and grotesque 

personages are the actors 

(d) Humorous stories 

(e) Biographical stories 

2. Importance of Story Telling 

3. Teacher's Preparation 

4. How Stories Should Be Told 



LANGUAGE ix 

5. Children Should Be Allowed to Tell Stories Without 

Unnecessary Interference 

6. A Method of Story Telling Appealing to the Creative 

Imagination 

(a) How children can be led to build up a story 

(b) What this method demands of the teacher 

7. Selected Stories, and How to Tell Them 

(a) The Eye of God 

(b) The Beautiful Rays 

(c) The Crocodile, the Tiger, and the Traveler 

(d) The Herdsman's Flute 

(e) Hans the Braggart 

(f) Birdie 

(g) The Bremen Town Musicians 
(h) The Shoemaker and the Elves 
(i) The Boyhood of Lincoln 

(j) Croesus 

(k) Leonidas at Thermopylae 

CHAPTER IV 
DRAMATIZATION 

1. Suitable Stories 

(a) In the primary grades 

(b) In the middle grades 

(c) In the grammar grades 

2. Freedom of Expression 

3. Illustrative Exercises 

(a) The Three Butterflies 

(b) The Wise Judge 

(c) Diogenes 

(d) The Blind Senator 

(e) The EngHshman and the Frenchman 



C AIODERX METHODS 

CHAPTER V 
THE STUDY OF POETRY 

1. Mother Goose Melodies — Their place and function 

2. Poems for Primary Grades 

3. Poetry Above the Second Grade 

(a) Poems read by the teacher to give pleasure 

(b) Poems read critically by the pupils 

4. Method of Teaching Poems 

(a) The teacher should first read the poem to the 

class 

(b) The value of oral reading 

(c) The teacher's preparation for conducting the 

thought analysis 

5. The Study of the Biography of Poets 

6. Committing Poems to Memory 

7. The Final Test of Teaching Poetry 

8. Illustrative Exercises 

(a) The Little Jewels 

(b) The World Is Full of Beauty 

(c) The Disappointed Snowflakes 

(d) Farewell to the Farm 

(e) King Solomon and the Ants 

(f) America 

(g) Abou Ben Adhem 
(h) To a Waterfowl 
(i) The Recessional 

CHAPTER VI 

THE STUDY OF PICTURES 

I. Why Pictures Should Be Studied in School 

(a) They can be made the means of developing the 
sesthetic taste of children 



LANGUAGE xi 

(b) They help to make instruction objective in char- 

acter 

(c) They help in developing the creative imagination 

2. What Pictures to Select 

(a) Pictures should be characteristic and artistic 

(b) Pictures should appeal to the interests of chil- 

dren 

3. Necessary Preparation — The teacher must know what 

she intends to teach by means of the picture 

4. How Pictures Should Be Studied 

5. Illustrative Exercises 



(a) 


Saved 


(b) 


The Doctor 


(c) 


The Quiet Stream 


(d) 


The Turbulent Stream 


(e) 


The Young Artist 




CHAPTER VH 



WRITTEN COMPOSITION 

1. First Steps 

2. Composite Stories 

3. Written Reproduction of Short Stories 

(a) The children should make careful preparation 

before writing 

(b) The written reproduction of stories paves the 

way for original composition 

4. Pupils Should Not Be Interfered With When They 

Write 

5. Too Much Stress Should Not Be Placed on Penmanship 

6. Freedom of Expression Should Be the Keynote 

7. Original Composition Work 



xii MODERN METHODS 

8. Topical Recitations Related to Composition Work 

9. The Use of Outlines 

10. Compositions Should Grow Out of Living Speech 

11. Compositions Should Be Short 

12. Compositions Based on Biography and History 

13. Subjects for Original Theme Writing 

14. How the Teacher Can Help Pupils in Securing Freedom 

of Composition 

15. Suggestive Topics for Themes 

16. Purpose of Composition in the Grammar Grades — Nat- 

ural development of language power not to be inter- 
fered with 

17. Special Aims of the Teacher — How a good style may be 

secured 



CHAPTER VIII 
LETTER WRITING AND TELEGRAMS 

1. Why Letter Writing Appeals to Children 

(a) The home impresses on children the necessity of 

learning to write letters 

(b) Letter writing can be made a pleasure 

2. Letter Writing a Form of Written Composition 

3. Naturalness in Letter Writing 

4. How Letter Writing Assists in Original Theme Writing 

5. Letter Writing in Primary Grades 

6. Use of Model Letters 

7. Mechanics of Letter Writing 

8. Business Letters in Upper Grades 

9. Telegrams 

10. Illustrative Letters and Telegrams 



LANGUAGE xiii 

CHAPTER IX 

CORRECTION OF COMPOSITIONS 

1. General Suggestions 

(a) The correction of compositions a delicate task 

(b) Not all compositions should be corrected 

2. Directions to Pupils Will Lead to Discovery of Mis- 

takes by Pupils Themselves 

3. Purposes of Corrections 

(a) They should assist pupils in discovering mis- 

takes 

(b) They may reveal shortcomings of teacher's work 

4. Corrections Should Be Suggestive in Character 

5. Self-Criticism 

6. Illustrative Exercises 



CHAPTER X 

CRITICAL STUDY OF SELECTIONS AS MODELS OF 
STYLE 

1. Purpose 

(a) Pupils to be made conscious of beauty, strength 

and clearness of sentences 

(b) They should work towards a climax 

2. Results 

3. Illustrative Exercises 



CHAPTER XI 

A SUGGESTIVE COURSE OF STUDY FOR 
ELEMENTARY GRADES 



THE TEACHING OF READING 

CHAPTER I 
PURPOSES AND AIETHODS 

1. Statement of the Aim 

2. Preparation for the New Lesson 

3. Securing the Thought Content 

(a) Method — Oral reading by teacher — Silent read- 

ing by pupils — Oral reading by pupils 

(b) Method of approach varies — Silent reading by 

pupils — Oral reading of units of thought — 
Thought analysis — Critical reading of the 
selection 

4. Expressive Reading of the Selection 

(a) The kind of selections to be used 

(b) The basis of expressive reading 

(c) The goal in expressive reading 

(d) Proper use of the voice 

(e) Proper breathing 

(f) Proper phrasing 

(g) Rapid reading to be avoided 

(h) Recognition of the imitative faculty — Impor- 
tance of the teacher — Slavish imitation not 
desired 

(i) Oral reading at home 

(j) The pupil reading should face the class 
xiv 



READING XV 

(k) Individual assistance by the teacher 
(1) An experiment by an inexperienced teacher 
(m) Correct posture of the body 
(n) Reading of old sekctions 
5. Reproduction of What Is Read 

(a) The preparation and use of the outline 

(b) Valuable language exercises 

(c) Outlines on knowledge subjects 

(d) Written exercises — Drill in spelling — Outline 

should not be depended upon too much 

CONCERT READING 

1. Advantages of Concert Reading 

2. Importance of the Teacher in Concert Reading 

SIGHT AND SUPPLEMENTARY READING 

1. Power Secured in Critical Reading to Be Applied in 

Sight Reading 

2. Children Should Have Access to Supplementary 

Readers 

3. The Study Recitation in Sight Reading 

4. Flighty Reading Should Be Avoided 

5. Rapid Sight Reading to Be Developed 

6. How the School Helps 

READING ONLY A MEANS TO AN END 

1. How the Ability to Read Becomes Educative 

2. Good Books Are True Friends 



xvi MODERN METHODS 

CHAPTER II 

ILLUSTRATIVE EXERCISES 

1. The Story of a Lost Lamb 

2. The Sandpiper 

3. TraiUng Arbutus 

4. The Uprising— 1775 

5. Lincoln's Gettysburg Address 

6. A Selection from Rip Van Winkle 

7. A Selection from Longfellow's Evangeline 

8. At the Open Chapel 

9. After All, We Must Fight 

10. The Shasta Daisy 

11. Springtime 

12. Mother. 



THE TEACHING OF SPELLING 



1. Difficulties of English Spelling 

2. Spelling a Few Hundred Years Ago 

3. The Objective Point of Spelling Reform 

4. The Duty of the School 

5. Sources of Spelling Lists 

6. Should the Spelling Book Be Abolished 

7. Words for the First and Second Grades 

8. The Speller 

(a) How the words should be printed 

(b) Should the words appear more than once 

(c) Words from knowledge lessons 

(d) Dictation exercises 

(e) The speller should be small 

9. The Wisconsin Tests 

(a) Made under the direction of the Department of 

Education 

(b) The first test 

(c) The second test 

(d) The third test 

(e) The fourth test 

(f) The fifth test 

10. Results of the Tests 

11. The Canadian Tests 

12. Results of the Tests 

13. How the Teaching of Spelling May Be Improved 

14. Number of New Words to Be Taught 

xvii 



xviii MODERN METHODS 

15. Relation of the Teacher to the Pupils 

16. The Teaching Process 

(a) The study recitation 

(a') The presentation of the words 

(b') The meaning of words 

(c') Use of the dictionary 

(d') Oral drill exercises 

(e') The ''flash" method 

(f) The coordination of ear, eye, voice and hand 

(b) Individual study by pupils 

(c) Test exercises 

(a') Oral and written spelling 

(b') Tests should be largely written 

(c') Spelling matches 

(d') Learning to spell through reading 

(e') Dictation exercises - 

(f) Copying parts of the reading lesson 

17. Special Lists 

18. Review Exercises 

(a) Daily review of old words 

(b) Words should not be mispronounced 

(c) Records of efficiency 



THE TEACHING OF LANGUAGE 

CHAPTER I 
IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING ENGLISH 

OUR COSMOPOLITAN POPULATION 

The power of expressing thought clearly, concisely and 
cogently should constitute an important part of every child's 
education. Granted a home environment in which the child 
heard only pure and correct English, he would learn his 
mother tongue naturally and easily, like play. But in a 
cosmopolitan population like that of the United States, the 
language of the home often is not English, but German, 
Italian, Polish or any one of many languages, and English 
is practically a foreign tongue to be learned at school and 
on the street. This condition emphasizes the necessity of 
devoting special attention to the teaching of English, and 
thus instruction in this subject becomes one of the most 
important functions of the elementary school. 

RELATION BETWEEN THOUGHT AND LANGUAGE 

But aside from this special reason, the teaching of Eng- 
lish is important because of the close interaction between 
thought and language, and because of the close connection 
between language and- general culture. This is the most 
important reason for giving English a prominent position 
in the course of study from the first grade in the elementary 
school to the university. 

1 



2 MODERN METHODS 

Instruction in English should be both general and special. 
Every subject taught has its language features, and it is 
the province of the teacher to cultivate on the part of the 
child a desire to express himself at all times in as clear 
and correct English as lies in his power. To do this most 
effectively, the school, in its early teachings, must imitate 
the home. 

Influence of the Home. What an astonishing command 
of language every little child possesses upon entering school ! 
True, the little German boy may appear mute upon his first 
introduction to school, but try him in his native tongue. 
You will find him able to use it with as great facility and 
ease as the child who has been brought up in an English- 
speaking home uses his mother tongue. 

What special method does the home use in developing 
this wonderful power of expression? It makes use of the 
simplest but most effective method. The child learns lan- 
guage by listening to his mother, father, brothers and 
sisters. He is encouraged to express his thoughts and 
feelings by all who come into contact with him. His every 
effort is applauded ; a feeling of conscious power to express 
his thoughts soon becomes his and he enjoys his new 
accomplishment to his heart's content. The work in lan- 
guage in the school differs from that of the home in that the 
school teaches not only the language of conversation but the 
language of literature. 

Function of the Teacher. There should be no break be- 
tween the home and the school. The school should endeavor 
to furnish conditions similar to those of the home of culture 
and refinement, and thus make possible a continuation of 
the method of the home in the teaching of English. In the 
school, the teacher takes the place of the parent. It is her 
voice which the children hear more than that of anyone else. 



LANGUAGE 3 

This demands that the teacher's language be rich and pure 
and her enunciation clear and forceful, to the end that her 
language may be a proper model for her pupils. 

Like the mother, she must possess infinite patience and 
tact in encouraging and assisting children to express their 
thoughts in a logical, pleasant, clear and convincing way. 
Like the mother, she must realize that ideas spring up in 
the child's mind as water bubbles up in a spring. She may 
guide the flow, but she must avoid stemming it by excessive 
though well-meant criticism. 

GENERAL OUTLINE OF WORK 

In the following pages an attempt is made to outline in a 
general way a course of study in language for the elemen- 
tary school and to suggest methods of instruction. Together 
with the discussion of method there is introduced a series 
of type studies by means of which it is hoped methods are 
exemplified in a concrete way. The broad lines of work 
may be stated as follows : 

1. Observation language lessons. 

2. Story telling. 

3. Dramatization. 

4. The study of poetry. 

5. The study of pictures. 

6. Written composition. 

7. Letter writing and telegrams. 

8. Correction of compositions. 

9. Critical study of selections as models of style. 

The above arrangement of subjects should not be taken 
to mean that they are to be introduced in the order as given. 
From the first grade on practically all the different lines of 



4 MODERN METHODS 

work may be appealed to. The observation language les- 
sons of the first few grades develop into nature study and 
elementary science in the middle and upper grades. Story 
telling, while emphasized most in the primary grades, should 
constitute an important part of language work in all of the 
grades. This is true also of dramatization and the study 
of poetry and pictures. Both oral and written composition 
begin in the first grade and are continued throughout all 
the grades. Even the critical study of selections as models 
of style which we commonly associate with the work of 
pupils in the upper grades of the elementary school should 
have its modest beginning in the primary grades. 



CHAPTER II 
OBSERVATION LANGUAGE LESSONS 

CHILDREN AS OBSERVERS 

The senses of children are ever active in storing their 
minds with a great amount of knowledge gained at first 
hand and not through books. But little children as a rule do 
not observe closely. Their eyes flit from object to object 
hastily, with the result that much of the knowledge gained 
is superficial and vague. 

It is the function of the home so to direct the children 
that they may form habits of studying things closely and 
carefully, for upon the development of right habits of obser- 
vation depends the development of all intellectual life. 

TRANSITION FROM HOME TO SCHOOL 

The wise teacher will use the knowledge which the chil- 
dren have gained while at home and make it the natural 
means of transition from the education of the home to that 
of the school. She will engage the little people in conversa- 
tion and urge them to talk freely about the things at home, 
their household pets, the birds, flowers and trees, and any- 
thing which has come within the range of their observation. 

PURPOSES OF THESE LESSONS 

The teacher should, however, do more than have the chil- 
dren tell about what they have seen and heard. Things 
should be brought into the schoolroom which are to be stud- 
ied under the guidance of the teacher. To do this work 

5 



6 MODERN METHODS 

effectively the teacher must have in mind the purposes of 
the observation language lessons. These may be summed 
up as follows : 

1. To cultivate the senses. 

2. To clarify and organize the body of knowledge the 

pupils acquire outside of school and to extend and 
enlarge this knowledge. 

3. To cultivate a love for nature. 

4. To cultivate language and thought power. 

- SELECTION OF MATERIALS 

There is a wealth of material the teacher can choose from, 
for these exercises. Naturally the material selected in a city 
will differ from that selected in a village or in the country. 
Each season of the year, also, both in the city and country, 
will have its special offering. Two tests, however, should 
always be applied in selecting material : Is it interesting to 
the pupils; and, has it cultural value? Pictures may also 
be used, but while they may serve a good purpose it must be 
remembered that the most interesting picture book is nature 
herself. 

THE DESIRE TO COLLECT THINGS 

The desire to collect things Is Inherent In all children. 
This habit should be carefully cultivated by parents and 
teachers. Every child and every schoolroom should have a 
collection of interesting things that nature furnishes for 
nothing, requiring only that we look for that which she has 
to offer. 

METHOD OF PRESENTATION 

In presenting an object for study, the teacher should so 
place it before the class that all pupils can see it. Then she 
should encourage pupils to tell what they know about it. 



LANGUAGE 7 

The success of the exercise depends upon the teacher. If 
she is interested in the matter presented and by skillful 
questions gets the children to make observations and to tell 
what they have seen or learned, they will respond with the 
same enthusiasm as that manifested by the teacher. 

When the pupils have spent some time studying an object 
and telling what they have observed, it is a good plan to have 
them summarize what was learned. In the first few grades 
the teacher naturally must come to the pupils' assistance in 
securing these summaries. 

The teacher who is skillful in drawing has a great ad- 
vantage in this work. Sketching an object or a part of it 
on the board will help in emphasizing it and fixing it in the 
memory. Children, also, should be led to make sketches, 
crude though they may be. The very fact that they are to 
make an attempt at sketching causes them to observe more 
closely. In the first and second grades the first efforts might 
be limited to copying sketches made by the teacher. 

INFLUENCE ON LANGUAGE 

The observational exercises should be as conversational in 
character as possible. Pupils should be encouraged to speak 
freely and, as a rule, in full sentences. Children enjoy talk- 
ing about real things and thus these exercises will help in 
cultivating the power of expression. Beginning with the 
second or third grade, pupils may base simple written com- 
positions on the observation work. 

HOW THE FACT SIDE MAY BE RELIEVED 

Finally it must be remembered that while the general pur- 
pose of these observation language lessons is to enlarge the 
body of knowledge of things appealing to the senses, the 
work in school should be so conducted that the pupils will 



8 MODERN METHODS 

have an increased interest and love for the things in nature 
and in art. For this reason, especially in the first few years, 
the fact side should be relieved by introducing in each exer- 
cise a suitable story, poem or song. 

ILLUSTRATIVE EXERCISE THE ROBIN 

The teacher should secure from the school museum a 
mounted specimen of a robin. If such a specimen cannot 
be had, the picture of a robin will suffice. 

There is no set way to conduct this exercise. The teacher 
may begin by calling attention to the size, shape and color 
of the robin, or she may begin by having the children tell 
what they know about the robin. Probably the latter course 
is preferable. With a little encouragement on the part of 
the teacher the children will talk freely about what they have 
seen the robin do, about its nest and the little baby robins. 

After this preliminary work the teacher may ask sug- 
gestive questions which pupils may answer or which she 
may answer herself. 

METHOD OF PROCEDURE 

It is spring. Snow and ice have disappeared and the 
robins have come again. Where were the robins in winter ? 
Why did they not stay with us ? Here the teacher may find 
it necessary to tell the children that in the fall of the year 
the robins fly to warmer regions and return to us in the 
spring. For this reason the robin is called a bird of passage. 

Let us examine the pretty robin more closely. What is 
the color of its head? What is the color of the upper part 
of the robin? The tail? What is the color of the throat? 
What is the color of the breast? What is the color of the 
wings ? 

What does the robin do during the day? How do the 



LANGUAGE 9 

robins build their nest? Where do they build it? What 
do the robins eat? The robin is a useful bird because he 
lives mostly on liarmful insects and we ought not to be- 
grudge him a few cherries as dessert. Have you ever seen 
a robin protect the nest ? What do you Hke best about the 
robin ? 

Have you ever seen robins feed their little ones ? Some- 
times the father and the mother robin are out searching for 
food at the same time. Then the baby robins usually lie 
sleeping with their heads hanging over the side of the nest. 
But as soon as the limb moves ever so little, every baby 
robin's head is up and its mouth wide open ready for the 
food. Do you know how often a baby robin is fed ? Every 
fifteen minutes is dinner time for the baby robins, and every 
day each little robin eats at least two times its own weight 
in worms. No wonder the little ones grow rapidly. 

Have you ever seen the father and mother robin teach the 
little robins how to fly ? It may be necessary for the teacher 
to tell how the bird parents tempt the fledglings to leave the 
nest by holding worms just out of their reach, how the little 
ones in trying to get the food fall fluttering from the nest ; 
how the parents then teach their little ones their first steps 
in hopping and running; and how later they teach them 
to fly. 

This more or less informal study of the robin should be 
followed by a study of a pretty selection, so that the pupils 
may be led to see the robin with the poet's eye. 

SIR ROBIN 

Rollicking- Robin is here again, 
What does he care for the April rain? 
Care for it? Glad of it! Doesn't he know 
That the April rain carries off the snow, 



10 MODERN METHODS 

And coaxes the leaves to shadow his nest. 
And washes his pretty red Easter vest, 
And makes the juice of the cherry sweet. 
For his hungry little robins to eat? 

— Lucy Larcom. 

The teacher should write the above stanza on the board. 
Just what purpose the stanza is to serve will depend on the 
grade in which it is used. If it is used in a first grade the 
teacher should read it to the children in such a way that 
they may catch the spirit that actuates the robin in coming 
so early to his Northern home. Naturally in a second or 
third grade the children will read the stanza themselves. 

However, whether the stanza is read by the teacher or 
pupils there should be joined to it a thought analysis which 
may be suggested by the following questions : 

The first line tells us that the robin has come back. What 
question does the second line ask? What in the third line 
tells us what the robin thinks of the April rain? Is the 
April rain usually cold or warm ? Does the robin care ? Is 
some of the winter's snow on the ground in April? What 
does the April rain do to the snow? Does the sun help? 
How does the April rain coax the leaves out? What does 
"to shadow his nest" mean? What is meant by "red Easter 
vest" ? Why does the poet call it an Easter vest ? Do you 
like the name robin red breast? What else does the April 
rain do? Do the hungry little robins eat many cherries? 
What do they mostly eat? 

After the discussion on the stanza the teacher should help 
the children to commit it to memory. 

ILLUSTRATIVE EXERCISE GERMINATION 

Simple lessons on the germination of plants may be begun 
in the first grade. Some time in the early part of April the 



LANGUAGE 11 

teacher should plant seeds of the bean, morning-glory and 
corn in boxes filled with sand, carefully marking each row. 
The sand must be kept moist and warm so that the seeds will 
sprout within a short time. After a few days specimens of 
the beans may be taken out and compared with the dry 
seeds. After a few days more another row of seeds may 
be taken up and the changes noted. In this way the pupils 
may be led to observe and describe the seeds while germina- 
tion is in progress. Naturally these lessons will be given 
from time to time in the course of a month or two. 

A few seeds should be planted and not watered; a few 
should be planted and watered but kept in a dark place; 
some should be kept in a cool place. In this way pupils may 
be led to discover that growing seeds need moisture, warmth, 
air and sunshine. 

The teacher should guard against attempting to do too 
much on the fact side with the children in this grade. By 
means of these lessons children may be led to watch the 
awakening life in seeds and observe the development of 
roots, stems, leaves and flowers. 

At an appropriate time after these lessons are begun the 
teacher should soak many beans in water for a day or two 
and then have the children remove the skin and find the 
little plantlet hidden between the two thick seed leaves. 

To give the poetic touch to these lessons the teacher may 
write the following poem on the board and base a conversa- 
tional exercise on it : 

THE SEED 

In the heart of a seed 

Buried deep, so deep, 
A dear little plant 

Lay fast asleep. 



12 MODERN METHODS 

" Wake ! " said the sunshine, 

" And creep to the Hght ! " 
" Wake ! " said the voice 

Of the raindrop bright. 

The little plant heard 

And it rose to see 
What the wonderful 

Outside world might be. 

— Kate L. Brown. 

What does the first stanza tell us ? Why may we say the 
plant lay fast asleep in the heart of the seed? What did 
the sunshine say to the seed ? How do you know that sun- 
shine is necessary to have plants grow ? What did the rain- 
drop say to the seed ? Is water necessary to have the plant 
grow ? Let us recite together the last stanza. 

After this study of the poem the children will watch the 
development of the seeds with increased interest. The 
teacher might also distribute various seeds among the chil- 
dren and ask them to request their mothers to plant them at 
home. The children will naturally enjoy helping their 
mothers in caring for the seeds and will be anxious to re- 
port changes in the appearance of the plants from time to 
time. Then, also, with the assistance of the mother, the life 
history of a plant from seed to seed may be studied, and 
thus, also, the interest of the mother in the education of 
her children may be kept up. 



CHAPTER III 

STORY TELLING 

FAIRY TALES, FOLK-LORE STORIES, MYTHS AND FABLES 

These stories naturally stand foremost in furnishing intel- 
lectual food for children. They interest children and have a 
classic value when maturity is reached. They have been 
the property of the human race for centuries and have been 
purified by succeeding generations. They are simple and 
childlike, and furnish wide opportunities for the exercise of 
the imagination because they contain no names of particular 
persons, and happenings are controlled by neither time nor 
place. They appeal to the individuality of children and 
serve as a basis for ethical truths and judgments which can 
be made to react on character. If the selection made is a 
judicious and a pedagogical one, fairy tales and folk-lore 
stories will constitute a rich fund of material that will 
appeal to the feelings and poetic sense of the children. 
Children whose minds are saturated with these stories 
remain children longer, and thus they are guarded against 
becoming blase. These stories should constitute the basis 
for most of the language work in the first two years. 

STORIES FROM HISTORY 

These stories, while taken from history, should not be 
biographical in character. They should be selected to depict 
some trait of an historical personage, like honesty, perse- 
verance, heroism and truth; for ideal conduct and charac- 

13 



14 MODERN METHODS 

ter, as revealed in stories, exercise a great influence for good 
on the daily life of children. 

GROTESQUE NARRATIVES 

These stories appeal to children because of their pictur- 
esqueness, sentiment and truths contained in them. Such 
are the stories of the East, of which the most notable are the 
stories from the Arabian Nights. 

HUMOROUS STORIES 

Children delight in the humorous, comical, laugh-produc- 
ing stories. In stories like The Peterkins, no fooHsh person 
is too foolish for children because opportunity is offered 
them to compare their superior wisdom with that of the 
stupid character depicted in the story. It gives them a 
chance to be proud of their own astuteness and knowledge. 

BIOGRAPHICAL STORIES 

These stories should be taken both from the field of gen- 
eral history and American history. There is, however, 
such a wealth of biographical stories that the temptation to 
include too many such stories is a constant menace to thor- 
oughness. It is best to select only a few characters, and let 
these be of the commanding type, such as illustrate by their 
aspirations and deeds the ideals of the age in which these 
makers of history lived, 

IMPORTANCE OF STORY TELLING 

Twenty years ago G. Stanley Hall declared that story 
telling was a lost art. If this was a true statement at the 
time it was made, it is so no longer. For years teachers 
have recognized the importance of story telling as an early ^ 



LANGUAGE 15 

phase of language work. They have come to realize that 
the mother's method of teaching language in the home 
should be followed in school. If teachers have not become 
adepts in the art of story telling it is because little effort 
was made in that direction while they were being trained 
for teaching. For any teacher can become an accomplished 
story teller with practice. Furthermore, it is of great 
importance to acquire the art of story telling because oral 
presentation plays so important a part in teaching. 

teacher's preparation 

Before attempting to tell a story it is necessary to make 
careful preparation. This consists first of all in knowing 
the story. By knowing the story is meant not simply the 
ability to tell the words, but to appreciate thoroughly the 
art side, for every good story is a piece of art. It is neces- 
sary to feel it, to live it. Then only can it be told in a 
way to make it realistic. The teacher must have a clear 
conception of every picture contained in the story before 
she can hope to tell it in so enticing a way as to compel 
attention. It may even be necessary for the teacher to com- 
mit the story to memory and then "tell it to herself" 
aloud to secure confidence in herself as a final step in the 
preparation. 

HOW STORIES SHOULD BE TOLD 

When the teacher knows the story so well that she is 
conscious of freedom, spontaneity, and power to abandon 
herself to the dramatic element in response to the ever- 
changing moods of little children, she is prepared to tell it 
to the class, and not before. But while a little of the dra- 
matic element may safely be introduced, naturalness and 
directness should never be sacrificed. There may be mani- 



16 AIODERN METHODS 

fested much enthusiasm, but no affectation; much art in 
captivating and holding the attention of the Httle ones, but 
no attempt at a display of elocution or histrionic ability. 
Teachers should, however, enhance the effect on pupils by 
cultivating a rich, clear, melodious voice, distinct articula- 
tion and enunciation, and absolute accuracy of speech. 

Many stories should be told with no expectation of 
retelling on the part of the pupils. Children's minds may 
be surcharged with the stories that occupy the lowest 
rounds of the classical ladder, and much good will result, 
but a selected few should be worked over carefully in class 
to cultivate the critical reflective attitude of pupils. Unless 
that is done the benefit accruing will lack in directness and 
in positiveness. 

It is best, perhaps, to tell a story in its entirety before 
engaging pupils in conversation relating to it. The ques- 
tions should be such as will help in clarifying thought and 
in reaching the spiritual element in the story. This takes 
time and skill, and, above all, requires perfect sympathy 
between pupils and teacher, to the end that the children 
will be free to tell their inmost thoughts. After a story 
has been worked over in this way it should be retold in 
its entirety by the pupils, but in this formal reproduction 
too much emphasis should not be placed on exactness of 
reproduction. The eft'ort of the teacher should be to create 
vivid pictures in the minds of the children, so that when 
they are called on to tell the story they will describe their 
mental pictures rather than simply give the words of the 
story. 

DO NOT INTERFERE WITH THE PUPIL IN TELLING A STORY 

When a child retells a story he should be let alone, and 
not be harassed by questions or directions. He should be 



LANGUAGE 17 

allowed to tell it in his own way, after his own fashion. 
He should be permitted to introduce faulty expressions and 
childlike sentence structure. He should be encouraged to 
use expressions he has discovered himself and make changes 
in the story suggested by his imagination. His tongue is 
to be loosened. His thoughts are to flow freely and unre- 
servedly, without check or hindrance. One day each week 
might with advantage be set aside for review story telling, 
in which children should be permitted to select from the 
entire list of stories their favorite ones and tell them to the 
class. They should also be encouraged to tell stories not 
worked over in class, but which they may have read or 
heard at home. 

APPEALING TO THE CREATIVE IMAGINATION 

Telling a story for reproduction is the method usually 
followed. Its success depends largely on the power of the 
reproductive imagination. A child with a good ear and 
fair understanding will experience little trouble in repro- 
ducing stories adapted to his stage of development. But if 
we have in mind at all times the main purpose of intellectual 
education, namely, developing the thought power, we must 
do more than to get the pupils correctly to reflect the 
thought of others. Not only must the reproductive imagina- 
tion be cultivated, but also the creative. C. Lloyd Morgan 
truly says: 

"Children are often highly imaginative; and nothing is 
commoner than for the unimaginative teacher to ruthlessly 
snub down the imagination of the child — which is, indeed, 
a delightfully simple operation, requiring neither experience 
nor tact. No doubt the imagination is often wild and way- 
ward; but our duty is to train it, not to crush it. And, 
unfortunately, the former is a far more difficult thing to do 



18 MODERN METHODS 

than the latter. Snubbing is so easy ; the helpful guidance 
of the imagination so difficult." 

There is another form of story telling which has for its 
purpose the furnishing of opportunity for the exercise of 
self -activity in constructing the story the teacher has in 
mind. According to this method the teacher should first 
of all state to the pupils what may be termed the introduc- 
tory synopsis of the story. This serves as a circle of limi- 
tation to the flights of the creative imagination of the 
children. 

Having stated briefly what the story is about, the teacher 
should begin to tell it in detail, and, stopping at a suggestive 
point, ask a pupil to continue the part told. With a little in- 
genuity and carefully planned questions pupils can easily be 
led to build up a story based on the part told by the teacher. 
Of course, they will not construct the story exactly as the 
teacher has it in mind, nor is that intended. The pupils are 
to tell a part of the story as suggested by the part told by 
the teacher, and in doing so they are exercising their 
creative imagination, which is the principal purpose the 
teacher has in mind. After several pupils have been given 
an opportunity to construct a part of the story, the teacher 
should take it up where she left off, tell another part, 
and, again stopping at a suggestive point, ask the pupils 
to continue the story, and so on until the entire story is 
worked out. 

As may easily be inferred, this method is on a much 
higher plane than the other. Hence it demands perfect 
mastery of the story and skillful management of pupils in 
bringing them back from their imaginative wanderings into 
the imposed circle of limitation. But the extra burden it 
entails is more than compensated for by the eagerness and 
the interest displayed in thinking out scenes and situations 



LANGUAGE 19 

never thought out before. After all, it is self -activity, not 
passivity of mind, that we should strive to cultivate. 



SELECTED STORIES, AND HOW TO TELL THEM 
THE EYE OF GOD 

A brother and sister were alone at home. The brother said to the 
sister, "Mother is gone, let us look for something good to eat and 
enjoy ourselves." With a roguish twinkle in her eye, the sister re- 
plied, 'Tf no one sees it, I am willing to do so." 

"Then come with me to the kitchen," said the boy. "There, I 
know, we can find some cake which we can eat." But his sister said, 
"No, our neighbor is at work near the window and he will see us." 
"Then come with me into the pantry," said the boy. "There, I know, 
mother keeps her honey jar." But his sister said, "No, the neighbor's 
wife is sitting at her window sewing, and she will see us." "Well, 
then, come with me into the cellar," said the brother. "There we can 
eat apples, and no one can see us because it is pitch dark." But his 
sister replied, "No, there God will see us, for He sees everything, 
even in the dark." Then the boy became frightened and said, "Then 
we had better not eat anything at all." 

DISCUSSION 

In learning to tell this story, the teacher will find it 
easier if she pictures the successive scenes suggested by the 
story. The children are probably in the sitting-room when 
the brother proposes to have a good time during the 
absence of the parents. The first suggestion of the brother 
takes us to the kitchen, the second takes us to the pantry 
and the third to the cellar. 

The teacher will discover that when pupils reproduce the 
story they are apt not to use the direct quotations and 
thereby lose much of the charm of the story. The teacher 
should, therefore, urge the children to tell the story just as 
she told it. It may even be necessary to assist the children 



20 MODERN METHODS 

by asking them such questions as, What did the sister say? 
What did the brother say? 

After two or three of the best pupils have reproduced the 
story the teacher should ask a few questions to bring out 
the meaning of certain parts. The teacher well knows that 
the little girl, from the beginning, did not intend to join 
her brother in the escapade. We know that she acted the 
part of his guardian angel and that she knew all along that 
her brother could not name a place where no one could see 
them. Did the sister enter into the plan suggested by the 
brother? is a question that will elicit various answers. 
The key to the entire ethical situation lies in the phrase, 
"with a roguish twinkle in her eye." 

The moral of the story is quite evident, and hence 
should not be made too prominent by the teacher. The 
story depicts temptations that come to all children many 
times, and while it is well to bring out the idea that they 
should withstand temptations, there must always be the 
reservation that even if the children had yielded no great 
wrong would have been committed, for, after all, the chil- 
dren were in their own home, and the cake and honey really 
were intended for them. There is always danger in making 
the moral element too burdensome and thus cause it to lose 
in force and effectiveness. We must remember that the 
boy was actuated more by his love of fun than by the baser 
motive which we are sometimes too ready to ascribe to 
actions of this kind. The prettiest part of the story is the 
delicate but effective way in which the sister proceeded in 
bringing her brother to the realization that what he pro- 
posed to do was wrong. 



LANGUAGE 



21 



THE BEAUTIFUL RAYS 

The sun was just rising above the horizon and beginning to send 
out his beautiful rays to wake the sleepers in the whole land. A ray 
touched a lark, and, darting out of his nest, he flew high up in the 
air and sang, 




Li - ri Li - ri le 




Beau - ti - ful is . . . the morn - ing 

Another ray awoke a little hare, which, without rubbing his eyes, 
ran out of the forest into the meadow to look for tender grass and 
juicy herbs for his breakfast. 

A third ray reached the chicken coop, and immediately the cock 
called out, 




I 



W=W=if—^^=W- 



m 



^ 



0--'^) 



m 



Ki ki ri Ke 



and the hens flew from their perches to look for food in the yard and 
to lay eggs in the nests. 



22 MODERN METHODS 

A fourth ray struck the dove cote, and the doves called out, 




^ T * * ^^-^ ■* 

Rook - e - di - koo, Rook - e - di - koo 




What shall we do? What shall we do? 

for the door was still shut. But when it was opened they all flew 
to a distant field to pick up the grain which was left by the reapers. 

A fifth ray came to a little bee. The bee crept out of the hive, 
cleaned its wings and buzzed around the flowers and the blossoming 
trees collecting honey, which it carried home. 

Then came the last ray, which touched the bed of the lazy man 
and tried to wake him, but he did not get up ; he simply turned over 
and continued to sleep while the others worked. 

DISCUSSION 

This is a story that will appeal particularly to children 
who have enjoyed taking care of rabbits, chickens or 
pigeons. It introduces children to the animal world with 
which they are most familiar and in which they are most 
interested. The story is quite difficult to tell because it 
demands that the teacher imitate the song of the lark, the 
crowing of the cock and the peculiar call of the dove. The 
teacher will appreciate that the expressions used in the 
story can only be suggestive of the real calls. 



LANGUAGE 23 

To help the teacher in imitating the lark, the cock and 
the dove, their calls have been set to music and embodied 
in the story. It will be found that the music is so simple 
that the average person will have no trouble in singing it 
easily. Those who do experience trouble in reading the 
music might have the airs played for them. It will be 
found that one or two hearings will be sufficient to fix the 
tones. The little *'motif ," it is hoped, will give color to the 
story. 

THE CROCODILE, THE TIGER, AND THE TRAVELER 

On a narrow road between a steep hill on one side and the River 
Ganges on the other, a traveler was walking alone. Suddenly, from 
the top of the hill, a ferocious tiger came bounding toward him. 
The traveler was just about to jump into the Ganges to save himself 
by swimming, when from its waters emerged a large crocodile. 

"I am lost," the traveler cried, and sank on his knees. At that 
moment the tiger leaped at him and landed in the jaws of the 
crocodile. 

DISCUSSION 

This story is a favorite one with little children. No 
matter how often they hear it, they take delight each time 
in the well-deserved though grewsome end of the tiger. 

When we think through a story the mind virtually is 
transformed into a moving-picture show. The first picture 
suggested by the story is that of a man walking on a road 
with a steep hill on one side and a broad river on the other ; 
the second picture introduces the tiger into this scene of 
contentment ; the third shows the man on the bank of the 
river trying to escape from the tiger and facing the croco- 
dile ; the fourth may be looked upon as a series of moving 
pictures, with the man on his knees and the crouching tiger 



24 MODERN METHODS 

ready to jump, then the tiger in the air directly above the 
man, and finally the tiger in the jaws of the crocodile. 

When the children have heard the teacher tell the story 
and have told it themselves, they should sketch one of these 
pictures on paper or on the blackboard. The sketches, to 
be sure, will be crude affairs, but they are another form of 
expression and will help in creating an interest in language 
work. 

THE HERDSMAN'S FLUTE 

There was once a poor herdsman who so pleased his King that the 
King took him to his palace to live. In the course of time the King 
appointed him his treasurer. But, soon after this, reports reached 
the monarch that he was dishonest, and that he was gathering a 
great treasure for himself in one of the underground vaults of his 
castle. 

The King thereupon visited the treasurer. He examined his castle 
very carefully, and finally asked to be taken to the vault where the 
official, according to the servants, was in the habit of spending con- 
siderable time each day. 

The treasurer willingly conducted his King through the under- 
ground passages until they reached a heavy iron door. When it was 
opened, they stepped, not into the expected treasure chamber, but 
into a room which was entirely bare except for one table and one 
chair. On the table lay a herdsman's staff and near it a herdsman's 
flute. Through the one small window could be seen the green 
meadows and the forest-clad hills. 

Then the treasurer said, "O, King, you compelled me in my youth 
to leave my sheep to go with you to your court. You were pleased 
with the services I rendered you, and j^ou honored me by asking me 
to become your treasurer, and so I came to live in this palace. Here 
in this room I spend an hour each day to be reminded of my happy 
herdsman's life, and to sing the songs I used to sing while herding 
my sheep. O, that I could go back to the hills of my fathers, where 
I was happier than I have ever been here at court !" 

The King, ashamed that he had been suspicious of so honorable a 
man and touched by his simple words, embraced him and begged him 
to remain in his service. 



LANGUAGE 25 

DISCUSSION 

The story of The Herdsman's Flute may be used as low 
as the third grade. After the teacher has told the story to 
the class, she should engage the pupils in conversation, that 
they may understand it more fully and better appreciate 
its deeper meaning. Questions like the following may be 
asked : What is a herdsman ? A monarch ? A treasurer ? 
An underground vault? Why, do you suppose, the King 
wanted the herdsman to be his treasurer? Describe the 
room to which the treasurer was compelled to lead the 
King. Why did the treasurer wish to return to his former 
home? What effect did his appeal have on the King? 
What kind of a man was the King? Did the herdsman 
continue in his service ? What makes you think so ? Why 
do you like the story? Which part do you like the best? 
Why? 

The teacher should tell the story again. She should then 
help the pupils to get the pictures suggested by it and 
have them tell it again. 

Too much time should not be spent on any one story. 
When several pupils have told the story with a fair degree 
of accuracy, the teacher should have the pupils tell other 
stories previously learned. In this way the interest in all 
of the stories will be kept up. 

HANS THE BRAGGART 

At a King's court, in the olden time, there lived a young noble- 
man who was known as Hans the Braggart, for he was always 
boasting of the great things he could do, but which he never accom- 
plished. The King's jester resolved to teach Hans a lesson, and 
this is the way it happened. 

One day the King desired to have birds for his dinner, so he said 
to the young nobleman, "Hans, go into the forest and shoot for 



26 MODERN METHODS 

me ten birds." Hans replied, "Not ten, but ten times ten will I 
shoot for you." "Very well," said the King, "H you are such a good 
marksman bring me a hundred. For each bird I shall give you a 
dollar." 

This the old jester heard and at once ran into the forest, collected 
the birds about him, and said to them: 

"Away, little birds, away, 
Hans Braggart comes this way, 
Would shoot a hundred birds today." 

When Hans Braggart came into the forest he could not see a bird, 
for all were hiding in their nests. So he had to return empty- 
handed to the King. Because he did not keep his word the King 
locked him up in prison for a hundred days. 

One day after Hans had been released from prison the King said 
to him, "Today I should like five fish for my dinner." Hans was 
tempted to ofifer to get a hundred fish for the King, but he bethought 
himself of the hundred days in prison, and so decided to be more 
modest in his promises. He therefore said to the King, "Not five 
but fifty will I catch for you." "If you are such a good fisherman," 
said the King, "then, bring me fifty, and for each fish you catch you 
shall receive a ducat." 

When the jester heard this he hurried to the sea and called to 
the fish: 

"Away, little fishes, away, 
Hans Braggart comes this way, 
Would fifty fishes catch this day." 

Now, when Hans came to the sea, not a fish could he catch. They 
had all swum to the other shore. So he had to return empty-handed 
to the King. He was again locked up in prison because he had not 
kept his word. This time it was for fifty days. 

When the fifty days had passed, the King said to Hans, "Much 
do I desire a hare for my dinner today." Careful not to be too 
boastful, Hans replied, "I will kill for you at least ten hares." To 
this the King made answer, "If you are so good a hunter bring 
me ten hares, and for each one you shoot I shall give you a gold 
piece." 



LANGUAGE 27 

When the jester heard this he hurried into the forest and called 
out: 

"Away, little hares, away, 
Hans Braggart comes this way, 
Would shoot ten little hares this day." 

Now, when Hans came to the forest he could not find a hare. 
Again the King had him imprisoned — this time for ten days — because 
he had not kept his word. 

When he once more obtained his freedom, the King said to him, 
"I should like a deer, that I may have a roast for my dinner." The 
young nobleman, remembering how his boasting had caused him so 
much suffering, modestly replied, "I shall go to the forest and try 
to shoot a deer for you, O King." 

When he came into the forest he saw a deer, and shot it and 
brought it to the King. The King smiled and said, "My dear Hans, 
I thank you for the deer, but hereafter do not promise what is im- 
possible for you to accomplish." 

The jester laughed to think how well his plan had succeeded and 
that henceforth Hans would boast no more. 

DISCUSSION 

Hans the Braggart is a story that appeals to children 
without the necessity of their applying much thought analy- 
sis to it. The punishment meted out to the boaster after 
each failure to do what he promised will appear just to the 
children, and the repetition of the "number idea" will add 
piquancy fo the story. 

If the teacher has mastered the story so that she can tell 
it well, she will find that even the weakest pupils in her 
class will have no difficulty in reproducing it. 

It is best not to say anything about the moral. If there 
is a "Hans the Braggart" in the class, the pupils will make 
the application readily enough. 



28 MODERN METHODS 

USE OF STORIES IN APPEALING TO THE CREATIVE 
IMAGINATION 

There are various ways in which children may be led to 
construct parts of a story the teacher has in mind. The 
teacher may begin by stating the introductory synopsis : 

This story is about a little girl who was lost to her 
mother. She finally reached the home of some good people 
with whom she lived for several years. 

Then she should begin to tell the story. Perhaps the first 
stopping point should be after the sentence, ''One day she 
took her little girl with her." It will be observed that sev- 
eral questions are introduced after each such closing of a 
part told by the teacher. This might be construed to mean 
that the only function of the teacher is to ask those ques- 
tions. It should be borne in mind, however, that the 
questions are suggestive only, that others may be sug- 
gested by the parts of the story told by the children, and 
that the chief function of the teacher is to encourage self- 
activity on the part of the children. There must be perfect 
freedom in the exercise of the creative imagination when 
once the children begin to tell parts of the story. It will 
be found that they often build up an entirely new story, 
thus giving proof of the effectiveness of the teacher's 
work. Care should then be exercised in not hurting their 
feelings when it becomes necessary to bring the class back 
to the circle of limitation as imposed by the introductory 
synopsis, so that the teacher may continue the story from 
the point w^iere she left off. While the entire story upon 
which this exercise is based has not been introduced, it 
will be found that the parts used will make it easy for 
the teacher to secure the hearty cooperation of the pupils. 
The successful presentation of stories according to this 



LANGUAGE 29 

method depends so much on the skill, enthusiasm and ability 
of the teacher that she should make special preparation 
before attempting to use a story as a basis for having 
children exercise their creative imagination. 

BIRDIE 

Once upon a time there lived in a village a poor widow 
and her little baby girl, two years old. During the summer 
the poor woman often went into the neighboring forest 
to pick up wood for the winter. One day she took her 
little girl with her. 

How did the little girl help her mother? 

What did the mother do one day, do you suppose, when 
the little girl got tired? 

The mother was tired, also. While she was sitting under 
the tree with her little girl in her lap she also fell asleep. 
W^hile the mother and child were sleeping a great eagle 
was flying overhead. 

Tell what happened to the little girl. 

How did the mother feel when she woke up? 

What did she do? 

How long did she look for the child? 

Why did she run to the village to give the alarm ? 

Did the villagers find the child? 

Was the mother finally forced to give up the child for 
lost? 

Why were the villagers kind to the poor woman? 

The eagle's nest was in a tall pine tree many miles away. 
It happened that a hunter passed by the tree just when the 
eagle placed the child in its nest. The hunter heard the 
cries of the child. 

Tell how he rescued the child and to what place he 
carried it. 



30 MODERN METHODS 

The hunter had a Httle daughter called Lena. 

When she opened the door for her father and saw the 
child, what do you suppose she asked her father? 

The hunter named the child " Birdie." 

Why? 

Tell the story the hunter told Lena. 

Why did Lena like the idea of having little Birdie for 
a sister? 

Lena and Birdie became good friends. They were always 
together. When the hunter came from the forest with 
berries, Lena was always anxious to have Birdie get her 
just share. 

In what other way, do you suppose, did Lena try to 
please Birdie? 

How did the children amuse themselves? 

Did Birdie ever speak of her mother? 

What did Lena do then? 

Birdie stayed in the hunter's home until she was seven 
years old. 

Whenever the hunter visited surrounding villages he 
told the story of the finding of little Birdie. One time he 
visited a village many miles from his home. It was the 
village where Birdie's mother lived. 

Tell the story that the hunter told one of the men of the 
village. 

What did the man tell the hunter ? 

Where did the men go then? 

Tell the story the hunter told the poor woman. 

What did Birdie's mother decide to do? 

Did they start on their journey immediately? Did some* 
of the villagers go along? 



LANGUAGE 31 

OTHER EXERCISES 

Imagine yourself to be Birdie and tell the story she told 
her mother about her life in the hunter's home. Use the 
pronoun /. 

Tell the whole story, using the following outline: 

1. A poor woman goes to the forest to pick up wood. 

2. Her little baby girl is carried far away by an eagle. 

3. A hunter rescues the little girl and takes her to his 
home. 

4. Birdie is restored to her mother. 

THE BREMEN TOWN MUSICIANS 

A man had a donkey who had carried sacks to the mill for him 
for many years. But the donkey at last grew old and feeble. Then 
the master said: 

"I cannot afford to feed an old donkey that can no longer work 
for me. I will drive him out of my barn and let him go where he 
pleases." 

The poor donkey felt sad to think that his master should turn him 
out to die without even thanking him for the work he had done. 
But he did not despair. He made up his mind to go to Bremen to 
be a town musician. 

After he had gone a short distance he saw a dog by the roadside 
howling piteously. 

"Why do you howl so loud?" asked the donkey. 

"Oh," said the dog, "because I am old and am getting weaker each 
day, and can no longer hunt for my master, he wanted to kill me, 
but I ran away, and hepe I am. How I am to get food for myself, 
I do not know." 

"I'll tell you what," said the donkey, "you come with me. I am 
going to Bremen to become a town musician. You also can play 
in the band." 

"All right," said the dog. So they walked on together. 

Within a short time they saw a cat sitting by the road. She 
looked sad and forlorn. 

"What is the matter with you, friend cat?" asked the donkey. 



32 MODERN METHODS 

The cat replied, "Who can be happy with so bad a mistress? Be- 
cause I am getting old and my teeth are dull and I prefer to sit 
behind the stove instead of trying to catch mice, my mistress wanted 
to drown me, but I escaped, and now I do not know what to do." 

The donkey said, "Come with us to Bremen. You know how to 
make music at night. You can be a town musician." 
. So the cat went along with the donkey and the dog. 

After walking for some time they came to a farmyard. On the 
gate post they saw a rooster and he was crowing with all his might. 

The donkey said, "Why do you crow so loud?" 

The rooster answered, "I just overheard my mistress tell the 
cook to cut off my head tonight. The cook is to make me into 
soup tomorrow and so I have made up my mind to crow until I 
die." 

The donkey said, "Come with us to Bremen. That will be better than 
dying. You have a powerful voice, and if we all sing together people 
will take notice of us." The rooster thought it was a good idea 
and the four walked away together. 

But they could not get to Bremen in one day. Toward evening 
they came to a forest. Here they decided to stay for the night. The 
donkey and the dog lay down under a large tree. The cat climbed 
up into the branches and the rooster flew to the very top of the tree. 
There he thought he would be safest. Soon he saw a light in the 
distance. He called to his friends, "I see a light, and where there 
is a light there must be a house." 

The donkey said, "Let us go there. Our bed is not comfortable 
here." The dog said, "I am willing. Perhaps I can find a few 
bones with a httle meat on them." So they all walked toward the 
light. The light became brighter and soon they stood before a 
house. The donkey went up to the window and looked in. 

"What do you see?" whispered the dog. 

"I see a table in a large room and on the table are good things to 
eat and drink. It is a robbers' house and the robbers are sitting 
around the table and are enjoying themselves," whispered the donkey. 

"I wish I had some of the bread," said the rooster. 

"I wish I had some of the milk," said the cat. 

"I wish I had some of the meat," said the dog. 

"I wish I had some of the wine," said the donkey. 

Then the animals planned to frighten away the robbers. The don- 
key placed his forelegs on the window sill. The dog jumped on the 



LANGUAGE 33 

donkey's back. The cat climbed on the dog's back. The rooster 
flew up and perched on the cat's head. Then they all began to 
make music. The donkey brayed. The dog barked. The cat 
mewed. The rooster crowed. Suddenly they fell through the win- 
dow into the room, breaking the glass as they fell. When the rob- 
bers heard that dreadful noise they became frightened, jumped up 
from the table and ran into the woods. Then the four companions 
sat down at the table and ate as though they had to fast for a month 
thereafter. 

When the friends had feasted to their hearts' content they put 
out the fire and looked for a place in which to sleep, each accord- 
ing to his nature. The donkey lay down in the yard. The dog lay 
down behind the door. The cat curled up near the warm ashes on 
the hearth. The rooster flew up on the roof. They were all tired 
out on account of their long journey and were soon fast asleep. 

But the robbers had been watching the house from afar. When 
they saw that no light was burning and everything appeared quiet, 
the captain said, "We were fools to be frightened so easily." Then 
he ordered one of the robbers to go to the house to find out who 
was there. 

When the messenger reached the house he stealthily went into the 
kitchen. He took out a match, and, seeing the fiery eyes of the 
cat, he thought they were coals of fire. He tried to light his match 
by touching it to one of the "coals of fire." But the cat flew at his 
face spitting and scratching. This frightened the robber and he ran 
for the door. Just as he was passing out the dog bit him in the leg 
and when he reached the yard the donkey kicked him. The rooster 
heard the noise and crowed with all his might, "Ki ki ri ke, Ki 
ki ri ke." 

Then the robber ran back to his companions as fast as he could. 
He was terribly frightened. "O captain !" he called out, "in the house 
is a terrible old witch. She breathed on me and scratched my face 
with her long sharp nails. Behind the door stands a giant with a 
long, sharp dagger. He stabbed me in the leg. In the yard is a 
great monster who beat me with a big club. And up on the roof 
sits the judge. He kept calHng out, 'Bring me the villain! Bring 
me the villain !' " 

When the robbers heard this they were terribly frightened. They 
did not dare go near the house again but they went far into the 
forest to build another house. 



34 MODERN METHODS 

The four Bremen town musicians liked it so well in their new 
home that they stayed there. 

FIRST PRESENTATION 

In telling the, story the teacher should have in mind the 
three parts into which it naturally divides itself, namely: 

1. How the four "musicians" came to be associated with 
each other. 

2. How they captured the robbers' house by means of 
their music. 

3. How they established themselves in their new home. 
This story is well adapted for first-grade pupils but may 

also be used in a second or third grade. It may seem to 
some teachers that the vocabulary of the story is too diffi- 
cult for the pupils of the first grade. If the teacher who 
is to use the story in a first grade is of that opinion, and 
she ought to be the best judge, she can readily simplify 
it by breaking up the longer sentences into shorter ones, 
by using shorter words and by repetition of parts told. 
But, as a rule, it will be found that a more difficult and 
extensive vocabulary can be used by the teacher in telling 
stories to children than can be used in stories which chil- 
dren are to read themselves. 

The story lends itself to 'a form of treatment in which 
the teacher encourages the pupils to anticipate some of 
the things said or done by the actors. When, for example, 
the teacher reaches the point in the story where she says, 
" Then the master said," she should stop and allow pupils 
to tell what he may have said. There are many points in 
the story where the teacher can stop to ask the question. 
What did he say ? What did the dog do ? The cat ? The 
donkey? The rooster? What happened then? Many 
other questions will suggest themselves to the teacher while 



LANGUAGE 35 

telling the story. The teacher's aim will be to have pupils 
construct as much of the story as possible. 

After the first part of the story, How the four musicians 
came to be associated with each other, has been told in 
the above way, some pupil may be asked to tell this part 
in a connected way. This would naturally not be a per- 
fect reproduction, nor is that intended. The effort of the 
teacher should be to make children self -active. If changes 
are introduced they should be welcomed, not discouraged. 

In a similar way each of the other units should be worked 
out. 

SECOND PRESENTATION 

In the second presentation of the story, questions should 
be asked to bring out the facts of the story, and others that 
will cause the children to reflect on the facts, thus: Tell 
me how the donkey came to leave his master. Do you like 
the donkey's master ? Why not ? Do you think the donkey 
would have made a good musician? Why do you like the 
donkey ? Where did the donkey go and whom did he meet ? 
What did the donkey say to the dog and what did the dog 
answer him? 

What did the donkey and dog do then? What did the 
cat say to the donkey ? Why did the rooster crow so loud ? 
Should persons keep such animals after they are old? 

Why could the friends not get to Bremen in a day? 
How did they intend to spend the night? What did the 
rooster see from his perch? Tell what the animals did to 
get the robbers out of the house. Could they have accom- 
plished what they did if they had not worked together, 
but each one for himself ? Do you know what is meant by 
" In union there is strength " ? Tell what happened to the 
robber that came back. Tell the story he told his captain. 



36 MODERN METHODS 

Did the robber believe what he was saying? Do you 
think the four companions did right in taking the home 
away from the robbers? Why? 

The children are now ready to tell the whole story, but 
again it is urged that pupils should not be held strictly to 
the facts presented in the story. They should be encour- 
aged to allow their imagination to have free scope. 

THE SHOEMAKER AND THE ELVES 

The teacher should first of all give a brief summary of 
the story somewhat as follows: 

I shall tell you a story about an honest shoemaker who 
tried hard to get along in the world, but luck seemed to 
be against him. He became very poor, but he did not 
despair. Help finally came from a most unexpected quarter, 
and the shoemaker never again was in want. This general 
summary is given so that the teacher may be in a position 
to check talking at random by pupils by referring to the 
limitations in the summary. 

The story should be divided into units, and each unit 
should be developed somewhat as follows: 

FIRST UNIT 

Teacher. I shall tell you today how the shoemaker cut 
out the last pair of shoes in the evening, and what he 
discovered the next morning that made him happy. 

The shoemaker worked very hard and still did not earn 
enough to live on. How do you suppose that happened ? 

Possible Anszvers. Perhaps he owed somebody money, 
and so he had to pay out the money when he sold shoes. 
Perhaps his children were sick and he had to pay the doctor. 
Perhaps the shoemaker was sick a long time and hence 
could earn no money. 



LANGUAGE 37 

T. I do not know what made him poor, perhaps you 
are right. At last all he had in the world was gone except 
just leather enough to make one pair of shoes. He cut 
these out at night and meant to rise early in the morn- 
ing to make them up. His heart was light amid all his 
troubles for his conscience was clear. So he went quietly 
to bed, left all his cares to God, and fell asleep. Why 
was his conscience clear? 

P. A. He was a good man and always did right. 
Although he was poor he was not to blame for it. He was 
willing to work. 

T. In the morning after he had said his prayers he sat 
down to work, but there was no work for him to do. What 
had happened during the night? 

P. A. Perhaps somebody stole the leather. 

T. Would that make him happy? You remember I 
said something happened that made him happy. 

P. A. Perhaps somebody brought him much leather as 
a present. Perhaps a friend made the shoes for him at 
night. 

T. Yes, that is what happened. When he looked at 
his workbench there stood the shoes already made. Every 
stitch was perfect. Soon a customer came in. Did he 
buy? Why? 

P. A. The shoes were so fine. 

T. What did the shoemaker do with the money? 

P. A. He bought food. Perhaps he bought more 
leather. 

T. That is what he did. He bought leather enough 
to make two pairs of shoes. This was in the evening. 
What did he do then? 

P. A. He cut out the leather and went to bed. 

T. What did the shoemaker think might happen again? 



38 MODERN METHODS 

P. A. That somebody would come and make the shoes. 

T. Tell me what happened. 

P. A. ^ The shoemaker was anxious to find out whether 
the shoes were made, so he got up early the next morning 
and went into his workroom. On the table stood two pairs 
of shoes, beautifully made. 

T. What did the shoemaker do then? 

P. A. He picked them up and looked at them. He was 
glad that the shoes were made. He put them in the window 
so that people could see what fine shoes he had to sell. 
Soon a customer came in and bought a pair. Before 
evening he sold the other pair also. 

T. What did he do then? 

P. A. He then bought more leather. 

T. Yes, he had money enough to buy leather for many 
pairs of shoes. He cut out the work again in the evening 
and when he got up the next morning he found it finished. 
And so it went on for some time until the good man was 
quite well to do. 

When the above unit is developed in this way the teacher 
should ask some pupil to tell the story up to this point. 

SECOND UNIT 

T. Was the shoemaker not curious to find out who it 
was that did his work ? What did he do to find out ? 

P. A. The shoemaker and his wife made up their minds 
to watch one night. They hid behind the door and peeped 
through the crack. When everything was quiet the window 
opened and in came a fairy. She touched the leather with 
her wand and immediately the shoes were ready. After 
she left, the shoemaker and his wife ran into the room and 
examined all the shoes. 



LANGUAGE 39 

T. That was well told. But it was not a fairy the 
shoemaker and his wife saw. Instead of a fairy there were 
two little elves. The elves worked busily, stitching, rap- 
ping, tapping, and long before daylight they left again. 
The shoemaker's wife noticed that the elves were poorly 
clad, and that they had hardly any clothing on. What do 
you think the wife said to the shoemaker ? 

P. A. She said, "I am going to make suits for the 
elves." 

T. And what did she ask her husband to do? 

P. A. She asked him to make shoes for them. 

T. Now go on with the story. 

P. A. One night when the suits and shoes were ready 
the shoemaker put them in the room, and then he and his 
wife watched again. When the elves came they saw the 
clothes and immediately put them on. 

T. And then? 

P. A. Then they went to work again. 

T. Don't you think that by this time the shoemaker had 
been helped enough? It was this way. The shoemaker 
did not cut out leather for that night. He simply placed 
the suits and shoes on the bench. Was not that a nice 
way of telling the elves that they were not expected to 
come back? Now tell me what the elves did when they 
were dressed? 

P. A. They sang a song to show how happy they were, 
and then ran away and never came back. 

T, That is what they did. When they saw the clothes 
and shoes they dressed themselves in the twinkling of an 
eye, and danced and capered about the room, till at last 
they danced out of the door and over the green. 

Then the teacher should call upon pupils to tell this 
part of the story and then the whole story» 



40 MODERN METHODS 

HOW BIOGRAPHICAL STORIES SHOULD BE TOLD 

In telling stories from history or biographical stories 
the suggestions made in regard to story telling in general 
apply except as to the exercise of the creative imagination. 
It does not matter much whether a fairy tale is changed 
somewhat by the pupils and teacher, but it does make a 
difference whether a biographical story is changed or not. 
The fact side must receive most of the attention, but the 
attempt should also be made to show the influence of con- 
ditions on the life of the hero. The stories should be told 
in such a way that a desire is created in the children to 
emulate the goodness and the patriotism of the hero. Out- 
lines made either by the teacher or pupils or both teacher 
and pupils will be found helpful in getting children to tell 
these stories. 

THE BOYHOOD OF LINCOLN 

— Adapted. 

Over 100 years ago there stood on the banks of a small stream in 
Kentucky a log cabin. It was small and poorly built. There was no 
floor, no glass for the one window, and no door for the doorway. 
A bearskin was hung across the doorway, and a deerskin over the 
opening left for a window. The wind carried the rain and snow 
through the cracks between the logs, and though a great fire of logs 
roared up the wide chimney the room was often very uncomfortable. 

This cheerless log house was one of many similar structures built 
by the early settlers and would have passed unnoticed were it not 
for the fact that in it, February 12, 1809, Abraham Lincoln was born. 
At the time of his birth no one imagined that this child was destined 
to become one of the world's greatest men, and that he would be 
known in history as the martyr president, the emancipator of a 
race and the savior of his country. 

In those early days the settlers for the most part could neither 
read nor write. Abraham's mother, however, was a cultured woman. 
She had come from Virginia where she had been given a good edu- 



LANGUAGE 41 

cation. She was tall and dignified and made friends easily through 
her winsome ways and her many acts of kindness. Each day she 
read the Bible to her kind though ignorant husband, and when Abe 
was old enough to understand she told him stories of Joseph, Moses, 
David and Jesus. Thus did the boy drink in the lessons of truth and 
virtue which were to lay the foundations of a strong and noble 
character. 

When young Lincoln was five years old he went to a school con- 
ducted for a few weeks each year by a Roman Catholic priest who 
traveled from settlement to settlement. Imagine the surprise and 
chagrin of the boys and girls twice and thrice Abe's age when Abe 
marched to the head of the spelling class. His mother had been his 
teacher. 

Slavery existed in Kentucky and poor men who owned no slaves 
and worked their own farms were looked down upon by the rich. 
When Abe was seven years old his father, Thomas Lincoln, resolved 
to move to Indiana where there were no slaves and where all who 
worked and led good lives were respected whether rich or poor. He 
accordingly sold his farm and late in autumn moved his family to 
Indiana. 

During the first winter the family lived in a temporary log house 
known as a "camp," a mere shed one side of which was open to the 
weather. By placing some slabs across the logs overhead, Abe's 
father made a bedroom for him. This room could be reached only 
by means of wooden pegs in the wall. There was no chimney, hence 
there could be no fire in the "camp.'* A fire, however, was kept 
burning just in front of the open side. Hanging over this fire was a 
large iron pot in which the cooking was done. During the winter 
Abe's father, who was a carpenter, hewed timber for his new home 
which was to be much larger and more comfortable than the one 
in Kentucky. 

Abe's mother, as you can imagine, was a hard-working woman 
busy with her household duties from morning to night, but she never- 
theless found time to continue the education of her son. Abe im- 
proved rapidly in his studies and before the winter came to an end 
he had mastered the spelling book and could take his mother's place 
in reading the Bible to the family. His mother also taught him 
to write. But besides teaching him the rudiments of learning, she 
did what was more valuable, she stamped her own high sense of 
duty and honor, her reverence for right and justice upon her boy. 



42 MODERN METHODS 

The world little knew at that time what a great debt it was to owe 
the mother of Abraham Lincoln. 

Abe's Hfe in their new home was a very busy one. Young as he 
was he helped his father in cutting down trees and in making a 
clearing. Besides this, Abe, who had learned how to handle a gun, 
kept the table supplied with meats of various kinds. 

After living about two years in Indiana, Abe's mother was taken 
ill. The nearest doctor lived forty miles away and could not be sent 
for. One day she called Abe to her bedside and said to him: 
"Abraham, I am going away from you, and shall not return. I know 
you will be a good boy and you will be kind to your sister and to 
your father. I want you to live as I have taught you and to love 
your Heavenly Father." 

Death came to her soon after and she was buried by her kind 
and loving neighbors on a hill that overlooked the valley. Abe was 
sad at heart. He had loved and revered his mother. She had been 
his best friend and companion and he resolved that his life should 
reflect the teachings of this angel mother. Years later, after Lincoln 
had become a great man, he said : "All that I am, or hope to be, I 
owe to my dear mother." 

One thing, however, grieved him sorely. No clergyman was pres- 
ent to conduct the funeral services. He knew of but one minister 
and that one lived lOO miles away. It was the minister who occa- 
sionally had preached for them in Kentucky. Abe had only shortly 
before his mother's death learned to write, and though he could not 
write well, he nevertheless wrote a long letter to this minister asking 
him to come to their Indiana home to preach a funeral sermon at 
the grave of his mother. It took three months for the letter to reach 
the minister. So impressed was the minister by the letter that he 
immediately made arrangements to go to Indiana. 

Upon the arrival of the minister at Abe's home, word was sent to 
all the neighbors for miles around, inviting them to attend the re- 
ligious services. Such was the respect and love for this noble 
woman that over lOo responded. They sang a hymn, listened to the 
sermon, offered up a prayer, committed the departed mother to God's 
keeping and left for their homes. 

Some time after the death of his mother, Abe secured a copy of 
^sop's Fables and a textbook on arithmetic. He read the fables 
over and over until he could repeat them word for word. Unable 
to get a slate for his work in arithmetic, he used a wooden shovel 



LANGUAGE 43 

instead. He used a charred stick in making figures and when the 
shovel was covered with them he planed off the surface and began 
again. In this way he soon became proficient in handling numbers. 
About a year after the death of his wife, Thomas Lincoln married 
again. Abe's stepmother was a widow with three children. She 
proved to be very kind to Abe, and he soon came to love her dearly. 
She arranged to have Abe attend a school which had been opened 
in the neighborhood, and Abe proved to be a very industrious pupil. 
But while he was the best pupil in the school and liked his books, 
he also had the ambition to be a champion at wrestling and boxing. 
He must have thought that this ambition interfered somewhat with 
his being a good boy, for he wrote in his arithmetic : 

Abraham Lincoln, 

His hand and pen; 
He will be good. 

But God knows when. 

Abe did not attend this school for more than a few months. His 
father was very poor and felt that he needed Abe's assistance in 
providing food for the family. Abe accordingly left school and 
spent his days in chopping down trees and helping his father in 
clearing the land and hoeing the corn. He also helped his father in 
his work as a carpenter. 

However, his stepmother while realizing the necessity of Abe's 
helping the family, also appreciated his love for learning. She per- 
ceived in her stepson what the father did not see — a nature rich and 
rare — and she resolved to do what she could to help in developing 
Abe's intellectual powers. Within a short time she managed to buy 
or borrow for Abe the Life of Henry Clay, Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, 
Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, a history of the United States and 
Weem's Life of Washington. 

Abe worked by day and studied by night. Every night after the 
chores were attended to he could be seen studying his books by the 
light of a candle or the fire in the fireplace. He read the books 
over and over until he mastered them. So hungry was he for in- 
tellectual food that he walked ten miles to borrow a copy of the 
laws of Indiana. The neighbors also kept him busy writing their 
letters. This brought him in a little money which he used in buy- 
ing more books. His stepmother declared : "Abe read everything 
he could lay his hands on, and when he came across a passage that 



44 MODERN METHODS 

struck him, he would write it down on brown store paper, study it, 
commit it to memory and repeat it again and again." Abe was 
fast becoming a self-taught scholar who was respected for his learn- 
ing by the people for miles around. 

When Abe was nineteen years of age a man who had bought a 
large quantity of corn, pork and other farm produce asked him to 
take charge of transporting these products by means of a flatboat to 
New Orleans. With one assistant Abe piloted the flatboat to New 
Orleans, where he soon disposed of his cargo at a fair price and 
returned to Indiana. He received ten dollars a month for his ser- 
vices and considered this good pay. 

In 1830 Thomas Lincoln, hearing of the rich prairie lands of 
Illinois, determined to move to that state. By this time his step- 
daughters had married and his own daughter had died. Abraham 
was twenty-one years old and willing to go. The journey was a long 
and tedious one, but at length the party arrived at their destination 
and within a short time their new log house was built. Abe helped 
his father clear ten acres of land, and split rails to fence it in. He 
was a dutiful son and up to this time all his earnings had gone to his 
father. But now he was in sore distress. His clothes were wearing 
out and he had no money with which to get new ones. Finally he 
struck a bargain with Nancy Miller who lived in the neighborhood. 
She made him a pair of trousers and he split 1400 rails for her to 
pay for them. These were the rails which later made such a stir 
in politics. 

In the spring of 1831 Abraham made another voyage to New 
Orleans. John Offut, his employer, agreed to pay Abe fifty cents a 
day and $60 besides, in case the trip proved successful. Abraham 
together with two companions built the flatboat which was to carry 
the corn, beef, pork and pigs, and when it was ready the trip began. 
He was successful in reaching New Orleans without a mishap and 
soon disposed of his produce at a good profit. While in the city he 
visited the slave market, which made a deep impression upon him. 

When Abraham got back to Illinois his employer induced him to 
take charge of his store at New Salem. It was a grocery, dry- 
goods, hardware, and boot and shoe store all in one. He soon won 
the respect and confidence of the customers, who appreciated his 
agreeable and polite manners and especially his honesty. 

If Abraham happened to make a mistake in giving short weight 
or in figuring up accounts he was always ready to correct it. At 



LANGUAGE 45 

one time a woman bought a half pound of tea. After she had gone 
he happened to look at the scales and discovered that he had given 
her only a quarter of a pound. He immediately weighed out an addi- 
tional quarter of a pound, locked the store and ran after the cus- 
tomer. He caught up with her after she had gone a mile, and ex- 
plained the mistake he had made. At another time, a customer paid 
six cents more than was right, and when Abraham closed the store 
for the night he walked three miles and back to return the money. 
Acts like these, small as they may appear to us, earned for young 
Lincoln the title of "Honest Abe," which clung to him during life. 
But Abraham Lincoln while in charge of the store found many a 
leisure moment for continuing his studies. He bought a grammar, 
and though he found it difficult he mastered its contents in a few 
months. He studied algebra and geometry but found these subjects 
very difficult to master without a teacher. But he persevered and 
in a year or so he became proficient in these subjects also. Thus in 
the course of time, by sheer pluck and determination, and undaunted 
by obstacles, young Lincoln gained an education which was to 
quahfy him for the great things which he was to accomplish when 
he entered public life. 

teacher's preparation 

The teacher should first of all read the story as carefully 
as Lincoln read some of the first books that fell into his 
hands. Then she should prepare an outline of the story 
somewhat as follows: 

THE BOYHOOD OF LINCOLN 

I. The Log Cabin in the Wilds of Kentucky 

1. How it was built 

2. How it was made famous 

IL The Education of the Early Settlers 

1. The inability of most settlers to read and write 

2. Abraham's mother, a cultured woman 

3. How she told him Bible stories 

4. How she influenced his character 



46 MODERN METHODS 

III. Abe Attends His First School 

I. How he surprised the pupils by going to the head of 
the class 

IV. Abe's Father Moves to Indiana 

1. The effect of the institution of slavery on Abe's father 

2. The " camp " in Indiana 

V. Abe's Mother 

1. Her work during the day 

2. How she found time to teach Abe to read and write 

3. How she stamped her own character on Abe 

4. Her illness and last words to Abe 

5. Her death and burial 

6. How Abe secured a minister to preach a sermon at 

the grave of his mother 

7. How the neighbors attended the services 

VI. Abe Secures a Copy of ^sop's Fables and an Arith- 

metic 

1. How he studied the fables 

2. How he studied arithmetic 

VII. Abe's Stepmother 

1. How she sent him to school 

2. Abe's ambition to be a wrestler 

3. Abe leaves school to help his father 

4. His stepmother buys and borrows books for him 

VIII. Abe and His Books 

IX. Abe Takes a Flatboat Loaded With Produce to New 

Orleans 

X. The Family Moves to IlHnois 

1. Abe helps his father 

2. How he got a new pair of trousers 
XL Abe's Second Trip to New Orleans 

1. The trip a success 

2. Abe at the slave market 



LANGUAGE 47 

XII. Abe as a Storekeeper 

1. How he won the confidence of his customers and the 

title '' Honest Abe " 

2. How he educated himself 

When the teacher has made an outline similar to the 
above, she should again study the story so that she may 
be able to tell it with strict adherence to the outline. 

Unless pupils have been told pioneer stories like the 
above, it may be well to describe the great wilderness in the 
central part of the United States that was fast filling up 
with settlers early in the nineteenth century. She should 
picture the life of these early pioneers, their sacrifices, their 
sturdy manhood, their courage and other qualities mani- 
fested in their struggle to conquer a wilderness. If there 
are children in the class whose great-grandparents were 
pioneer settlers, it would be interesting to have the children 
interview them and then have them tell the class about the 
personal experiences of these early settlers. 

It is best probably to place the outline of the story on 
the board before telling the story. It will serve as a guide 
to the teacher when she tells the story and will be of 
assistance to the pupils in fixing the facts. 

Unless there is a large map in the schoolroom showing 
the region of the United States referred to in the story, 
it may be well for the teacher to sketch one on the board. 
This might be done anyway, because it will add interest 
to the story and help the children in getting the story 
in its proper order. 

After the teacher has told the entire story she should 
call on the brighter pupils to tell parts of it. It will be 
found that their reproductions will be faulty, but they 
should be encouraged to give them nevertheless. 



48 MODERN METHODS 

When the pupils are able to tell the story in the rough, 
the important work of the teacher begins. The story is 
one of the best in existence to teach not only the life of 
the early pioneers, but to show how a great soul can be 
brought to fruition even in a wilderness. 

The story should again be told by the teacher, but this 
time it should be told unit by unit. After telling a unit 
the teacher should ask questions which will cause children 
to reflect on what they have heard. 

Questions like the following may be asked: 

1. Describe the log cabin in which Lincoln was born. 

2. What made the cabin uncomfortable in rainy weather 
and in winter? 

3. Tell what you know of Lincoln's mother. How did 
she influence the life of her son? Why was it necessary 
for her to work so hard? 

4. What made it possible for young Abe to go to the 
head of the class in spelling? 

5. Why did Thomas Lincoln go to Indiana? 

6. Describe the "camp" in which the family lived. 

7. What did Abe's mother teach him besides reading, 
spelling and writing? 

8. How did the life Abe led help him in developing his 
intellectual powers? 

9. What were the dying words of his mother? What 
meaning do you read into the words, " I want you to live 
as I have taught you" ? 

10. What prompted Abe to write to the minister? Do 
you suppose he consulted any one before writing the letter ? 

11. It took three months for the letter to reach its des- 
tination. Can you explain this? 

12. Why, do you suppose, was the minister so ready to 
respond to Abe's request? 



LANGUAGE 49 

13. Was it a blessing that Abe had only a few books to 
read? Why? 

14. What do you think of Abe's stepmother? What did 
she do to prove that she really loved her stepson ? 

15. Why do you suppose the neighbors respected Abe? 

16. What earned for Abe the name " The Rail Splitter " ? 
Do you suppose this story helped him later in politics? 
How? 

17. How long do you suppose it took Abe to make the 
trip to New Orleans? 

18. Was Abe honest in little things? Do you suppose 
the habit of being honest in little things helped him to 
be honest in big things? 

19. Why do you like the story, The Boyhood of Lincoln? 
What appeals to you most in the story? 

When the story has been worked out in the above way 
the entire story should be told by one or two pupils in the 
class, and since there will not be time for each pupil to tell 
the story in class, the teacher should urge all of the pupils 
to tell the story at home to their parents. 

Thus far the work on the story has been wholly oral. 
When pupils can tell the story well it should serve as a 
basis for written compositions. The teacher should not, 
however, ask pupils to write on the entire story. She 
should either assign a few units to the class, or allow each 
pupil to select the part he likes best and write on it, com- 
pleting the composition in one recitation period. The 
written work may also constitute an assignment for home 
work. 

The plan as outlined above for teaching the story of 
Lincoln will be suggestive of how any biographical story 
may be handled by the teacher. The thought should always 
be to present interesting pictures from the "lives of great 



50 MODERN METHODS 

men in such a way that they awaken patriotic feeHng on 
the part of the children and a desire to emulate the good 
deeds in the life of the hero or heroine. 

CRCESUS 

Croesus, King of Lydia, lived about 550 B. C. He was the richest 
man in the world, and for that reason considered himself the hap- 
piest. 

At one time, Solon, the wisest man in Greece, visited the Lydian 
ruler. Croesus took great pride in showing Solon his beautiful 
buildings, furniture and pictures, his treasures of gold and silver 
and precious stones, and then said with great satisfaction: "Solon, 
you have traveled a great deal; tell me whom you consider the 
happiest man in the world." 

He expected that Solon would say, "Croesus," but instead of that 
the wise man said, "I consider Tellus, a citizen of Athens, the 
happiest of men." 

"Why do you consider him the happiest of men?" asked Croesus. 
"Because," said Solon, "Tellus lived in Athens while that city was 
prosperous and happy. He had several children who were as good 
as they were beautiful. He gave them a good education so that 
they could provide for themselves. He was respected by all who 
knew him. He lived a happy and peaceful life, and in his old age 
was killed while fighting bravely for his country. His fellow cit- 
izens erected a beautiful monument to his memory." 

"But," anxiously asked Croesus, "whom do you consider the 
next happiest?" "Two Greek youths, Kleobis and Biton," was 
the answer. "They were brothers, and they possessed extra- 
ordinary physical strength. Both were victors in the Olympian 
games. Both loved and revered their aged mother, who was a 
priestess. At one time it became necessary for her to go imme- 
diately to the temple. But, her oxen not being ready, her sons 
put themselves to the yoke and drew the chariot to the temple, 
which was five miles distant. When the people saw this they 
lauded the strength and virtue of the youths and congratulated 
the mother upon having two such dutiful sons. The mother was so 
impressed by this that she hurried into the temple and prayed that 
to her children might be given that which they most deserved. 



LANGUAGE 51 

Whereupon the youths, who were praying before the altar, sank 
into a deep sleep from which they never awakened. Thus did the 
gods honor these noble youths. Later the Greeks erected a monu- 
ment in memory of their good deeds and their beautiful death." 

"O ! stranger from Athens," impatiently cried Croesus, "do you 
consider my happiness of so small account that you refuse to com- 
pare me even with the lowliest of men?" To this Solon answered: 
"O ! Croesus, a poor man is often much happier than a rich man. 
A man's life is about seventy years long. During this time many 
changes may take place. No man should call himself happy before 
his death." 

Some years after Solon had visited Croesus, Cyrus, King of the 
Persians, led an army against Lydia. In a great battle fought near 
Sardis, the capital of Lydia, Croesus was utterly defeated. The 
victorious Persians entered the city, determined to plunder and kill 
the inhabitants. Croesus was captured and brought before Cyrus. 
In his wrath, Cyrus ordered him to be burned alive. The funeral 
pile was soon built, and Croesus, bound hand and foot, was placed 
upon it. The flames sprang up, threatening in a little while to 
envelop Croesus, when suddenly he thought of the words spoken by 
the wise man from Greece, and he called out, "Solon! Solon! 
Solon!" 

Cyrus heard the outcry, and, being curious to know to whom 
Croesus appealed, he had him removed from the funeral pile, and 
through an interpreter asked him what the word "Solon" signified. 
Croesus was silent for a time, and then said, "Solon is the name 
of a wise man to whose words I wish every monarch might listen, 
for it would be worth more to him than all the riches in the world." 

Then he told Cyrus of his meeting with Solon in his palace, 
which the Persians had just destroyed. Cyrus was deeply affected. 
He realized that nothing was certain in life, and that misfortune 
might come to him as it had to Croesus. His better nature asserted 
itself. With his own hands he removed the fetters from his captive, 
and not only promised him his freedom but begged him to remain 
with him as his friend and adviser. 



52 MODERN METHODS 

OUTLINE OF THE STORY OF CRCESUS 

I. Who Croesus Was 

II. Solon Visits Croesus 

1. Croesus shows Solon his treasures and asks him a 

question 

2. Why Solon thought Tellus was the happiest of men 

3. Why Solon thought Kleobis and Biton were the next 

happiest of men 

4. What Solon finally told Croesus 

III. The Defeat of Croesus at Sardis 

1. Cyrus orders Croesus to be killed 

2. What Croesus called out while on the funeral pile 

3. Cyrus asks Croesus to explain the meaning of his 

words 

4. Croesus tells Cyrus of the time he met Solon 

IV. How Cyrus Treated Croesus 

LEONIDAS AT THERMOPYLAE 

Xerxes, King of Persia, determined to conquer Greece. He 
gathered an immense army of over 1,500,000 fighting men and 150 
war vessels. Slowly the Persian hosts moved toward Greece. They 
met with no opposition until the Pass of Thermopylae was reached, 
which leads into the very heart of Greece. Here on a narrow road 
between the sea on the one side and a steep mountain on the 
other were stationed about 7000 Greeks. The flower of this small 
army consisted of 300 Spartans commanded by King Leonidas. 

When Xerxes heard that this handful of men expected to halt 
his millions, and that they were preparing for battle as though 
they were going to a feast, he laughed in derision. He sent mes- 
sengers to the pass commanding the Greeks to surrender their 
weapons, but the Greeks answered, "Come and get them." When 
the Greeks were told that there were so many Persian soldiers that 
their arrows would hide the sun, one of the Spartans calmly re- 
plied, "So much the better, then we can fight in the shade." 



LANGUAGE 53 

Xerxes hesitated to attack the Greeks. He did not think it pos- 
sible that such a small army really intended to resist him. He 
allowed four days to pass, declaring that by that time the Greeks 
would realize the hopelessness of their cause and would withdraw. 

When he discovered that the Greeks did not intend to leave he 
ordered his soldiers to storm the pass. There stood the Greeks, 
each with a shield in the left hand and a lance in the right, form- 
ing a strong human wall. Again and again the Persians tried to 
break through the forest of lances, but each time they were forced 
back. 

Xerxes then ordered the most valiant of his soldiers, the "Im- 
mortals," to advance against the Greeks. They also were, driven 
back. Then the Persians refused to fight any more. 

When Xerxes saw that his soldiers were afraid, he became angry 
and ordered them to be driven into the pass with whips. But cer- 
tain death awaited them there, and perhaps the Persian army might 
have been prevented from entering Greece had not a traitor named 
Ephialtes disclosed to the Persian leader a secret path over the 
mountain. 

At night Ephialtes led a part of the Persian army across the 
mountain. When Leonidas saw that he would be attacked from 
the rear, he allowed all the Greeks to withdraw except the 300 
Spartans. Their laws forbade them to retreat. 

Now began a terrible fight. The Spartans knew that they were 
about to die, but they determined to sell their lives as dearly as 
possible. They rushed against the Persians, who fell before their 
onslaught as grain before the scythe. When their lances were 
broken they fought with their swords. Long they fought and well. 
Finally, Leonidas, hard pressed on all sides, fell mortally wounded. 
The Spartans fought desperately to save the body of their leader. 
Three times they forced the Persians to retreat, but at last beset 
on all sides and fighting valiantly, the little, band of Spartans died 
the death of heroes. 

Such was the Battle of Thermopylae, which was fought in July, 
480 B. C. Many years later the Greeks erected a marble column 
on the spot where Leonidas fell, bearing the inscription : 

"Traveler, when you get to Sparta, tell our friends that we died 
obedient to the law." 



54 MODERN METHODS 



OUTLINE OF THE STORY 



I. How Xerxes Determined to Conquer Greece 

1. His army and the march to Greece 

2. The 7000 Greeks at Thermopylae 

3. The 300 Spartans and their leader 

II. How Xerxes Sent Messengers to the Greeks 

1. What the Greeks answered when told to give up their 

weapons 

2. What they answered when told how strong the Per- 

sians were 

III. Xerxes Orders His Soldiers to Storm the Pass 

1. Why he at first hesitated 

2. The Greeks force back the Persians 

3. The " Immortals " 

4. How Ephialtes, the traitor, helped the Persians 

IV. The Battle at Thermopylae 

1. How the Greeks fought 

2. The death of Leonidas 

V. The Inscription on the Marble Column 



CHAPTER IV 

DRAMATIZATION 
SUITABLE STORIES 

A fable or a folk-lore story, or any story in which lively 
action is represented, may be furnished a class in the primary 
grades with the suggestion that the pupils dramatize it, the 
best version being the one selected for use by the class. 
This work appeals to pupils, and while it develops their 
poetic instinct, it also aids materially in developing their 
power of expression. 

In the fifth and sixth grades, pupils enjoy bringing Sir 
Knights into the schoolroom, thus making tales of chiv- 
alry, tales of real life to them. They take pride in per- 
fecting the strong parts in plays and begin to look for 
dramatic ability in their associates. Scenes from Little 
Women, Miles Standish and Rip Van Winkle are adapted 
to fifth- and sixth-grade pupils. 

In the grammar grades pupils prefer to dramatize stories 
that can be used without changing materially the language 
of the author. The Ruggles' Christmas Dinner, Mrs. Wiggs 
of the Cabbage Patch and similar stories readily serve as a 
basis for dramatization in these grades. 

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION 

Criticism is sometimes directed against this kind of lan- 
guage work because of the possible resulting disorder, but 
with a tactful teacher, this freedom of expression and 

55 



56 MODERN METHODS 

action can readily be directed into proper channels, and 
thus dramatization may be made the means of developing 
the imagination and increasing the power of initiative and 
organization of children. 

ILLUSTRATIVE EXERCISES 

In the illustrative exercises on dramatization the stories 
are introduced together with their dramatized version. 
This is done in the hope that pupils may discover how 
simple a matter it is to dramatize a well-known story. In 
the upper grades, pupils may be encouraged to write out 
the dramatizations, though as a rule good results are 
secured by having pupils assign parts to each other and 
work out the dramatization on the spur of the moment. 

THE THREE BUTTERFLIES 

At one time there were three butterflies, a white, a red and a 
yellow, that played in the sunshine, dancing from flower to flower. 
They did not grow tired because they were enjoying themselves. 
But when it began to rain and they observed that their wings were 
getting wet, they rapidly flew home. But the door was locked 
and they could not find the key, so they remained standing outside 
in the rain. 

They then flew to a tulip striped with yellow and red, and said, 
"Tulip, open your flower just a little so that we may slip in and not 
get wet." But the tulip said, "I will open my flower only for the 
yellow and the red; the white I do not like." But the red and yel- 
low butterflies said, "K you will not shelter our sister we will not 
allow you to shelter us." 

It rained harder and harder, and they flew to a lily and said, 
"Allow us to creep into your blossom so that we may be protected 
from the rain." But the lily said, "I will take the white one because 
she looks like me, the others I do not like." Then the white but- 
terfly said, "If you refuse to shelter my sisters, I will not go to 
you either. We prefer to get wet together rather than forsake 
one another," and they flew away. 



LANGUAGE 57 

Behind the clouds the sun had overheard all that the butterflies 
said, and admired their love for one another. He forced his way- 
through the clouds, drove off the rain, and before long it was again 
bright and beautiful in the garden. Soon the wings of the butter- 
flies were dry again, and they danced till night, and then together 
they flew to their home to sleep. 



THE THREE BUTTERFLIES 

Persons Represented : A White Butterfly, a Red Butter- 
fly, a Yellow Butterfly, a Red and Yellow Tulip, a Lily, 
the Sun. 

Scene I : A garden full of flowers. 

Enter the three butterflies, dancing. 

The Three Butterflies. Now for a jolly good time. 
(Dancing and fluttering about.) 

White B. I am off for the lily. (Dances off toward the 
lily.) 

Red B. I like the tulip. (Dances off toward the tulip.) 

Yellozv B. Catch me if you can. (The other butterflies 
flit after the yellow butterfly, but do not catch it.) 

White B. What was that? Was it a drop of rain? 

Red B. Surely it is raining. Oh, my poor wings! 

Yellow B. Let us find shelter as quickly as we can. (All 
fly to the tulip.) 

The Three B. Tulip, open your flower just a little so 
that we may slip in and not get wet. 

Tulip. I will open my flower only for the yellow and 
the red, the white I do not like. 

Red B. If you will not shelter the White Butterfly I'll 
not allow you to shelter me. (Flies away.) 

Yellow B. Nor me. (Flies azvay.) 



58 MODERN METHODS 

(The butterflies all remain quiet for a while.) 

Yellow B. Oh, it is raining harder; let us go to the 
lily. (All fly to the lily.) 

White B. Please, dear lily, allow us to creep into your 
blossom so that we may be protected from the rain. 

Lily. I will take you because you look like me, but the 
others I do not like and therefore will not take them. 

White B. If you refuse to shelter my sisters I will not 
go to you either. (The three butterflies join hands.) 

The Three B. (Turning to the audience.) We prefer 
to get wet together rather than forsake one another. 
(Exit all.) 

Scene II : The same garden. •- 

Enter the Sun. 

Sun. Behind the clouds I heard all that the dear little 
butterflies said, so I have forced my way through the clouds, 
have driven off the rain and have made the garden bright 
and beautiful again. They will see me and come back to 
the garden. 

The Three B. Thank you, dear Sun. Your rays have 
dried our wings and we can dance and play till bedtime. 
(They dance about.) 

Sun. I must move to the west. It is getting late. 

Butterflies. Oh, it is beginning to be dark. We must 
fly home and go to sleep. Good-night. (Bowing to the 
audience.) 

SUGGESTIONS 

It is suggested that the principal parts in The Three 
Butterflies be taken by five little girls and one boy, the girls 
taking the parts of the butterflies and the flowers and the 



LANGUAGE 59 

boy the part of the sun. A number of girls and boys may 
represent the other flowers in the garden. 

" In fixing up for the play " the children should if possible 
enlist the assistance of their mothers. The teacher may 
suggest to the little girls how to " make up " for the various 
characters, indicating some inexpensive materials that 
might be used. The decorations should consist largely 
of colored tissue paper and should be simple and inexpen- 
sive. 

The little girl who is chosen to represent a pink rose 
may come with pink paper bows on her shoes, a pink 
paper sash around her waist, pink bows on her shoulders 
and a pink bow on her head. If she is a little more 
ingenious or if her mother enters enthusiastically into the 
spirit of the play she may appear with a green cap on her 
head to which are attached numerous "pink petals," the 
whole suggesting a large rose. Around her waist may be 
tied a green sash, from which larger pink petals may extend 
downwards, or to which may be fastened pink roses. 

In a similar way the red and yellow tulip and the lily 
may be represented by two little girls decorated in the 
color of these flowers. 

The decorations for the little girls who represent the 
three butterflies should be as nearly alike as possible, ex- 
cept, of course, as to color. A little drapery falling from 
their arms will help along the suggestion of wings, par- 
ticularly when the " butterflies " flutter about. 

The boy taking the part of the sun should be one of those 
round-faced, good-natured fellows, whose countenance 
seems to radiate sunshine. A wreath of scalloped yellow 
paper encircling his face will help along the suggestion that 
he represents the sun. 



60 MODERN METHODS 



THE WISE JUDGE 

A rich merchant of the East was so unfortunate as to lose a 
large sum of money. He advertised his loss and offered a reward 
of $100 for the return of his money. 

After a few days an old man called on him and said, "This is 
probably your money. I found it." 

The merchant, who appreciated honesty in other people but who 
might have practiced more of it himself, counted the money, and 
while doing so conceived a plan whereby he might avoid giving the 
honest finder the promised reward. 

"My friend," he said to the old man, "in reality there was $800 
in this package, but I find there is now only $700 in it. I presume 
you helped yourself to the reward before handing me the money. 
You did right, and I thank you." 

The man, however, insisted that he had not opened the package 
but had handed it to him in the same condition that it was when, 
he found it. 

Both men finally appeared before the judge to tell their stories. 
The one insisted that there was $800 in the package; the other, 
that he had not opened the package and hence did not know the 
amount of money it contained. 

The judge, realizing the purpose the merchant had in view, had 
each man testify again under oath, and then, turning to the mer- 
chant, gave his decision as follows : 

'Tf you lost a package containing $800 and this man found one 
containing only $700, it is plain that the money is not that which 
you lost'. Hence I command you to give back this money to the 
finder of the package, who will keep it until someone comes who 
has lost $700 and can prove that it is his property. You, my dear 
merchant, must wait until someone comes who has found $800." 



LANGUAGE 61 

THE WISE JUDGE 

Persons Represented: A rich merchant, an honest man, 
a wise judge. 

Scene I : A street in a city in the Far East 

Enter a rich merchant walking along the street. He 
suddenly stops as if much alarmed 

Merchant. Why, I have lost my money! I have lost 
my money ! I must find it ; but, alas ! I have no idea where 
I could have lost it. I must advertise my loss. I shall 
offer a reward of $ioo for the return of my money. (Exit.) 

Scene II : Office of the rich merchant 
Enter merchant. 

Merchant. I wonder if I'll ever get back the money I 
lost. Ah, here comes an old man. Perhaps he has found 
it, and means to return it. 

The old man. Good morning! I read your advertise- 
ment in this morning's paper. I found this package of bills 
yesterday and I have come to return the money. (Hands 
merchant the package.) 

Merchant. Indeed this is the package I lost. (He counts 
the money and abstracts $ioo.) My friend, there was 
$800 in this package, but now there is only $700. I see you 
took the reward before handing me the money. You did 
right and I thank you. 

The old man. That is not true. I handed you the pack- 
age just as I found it. I hope you will give me the reward 
you offered. 

Merchant. Oh, no. I do not intend to double the re- 
ward. 



62 MODERN METHODS 

The old man. Very well. I shall take this matter before 

the judge. (Exit.) 

Merchant. I hope I can convince the judge that the old 
man took the $ioo. (Exit.) 

Scene III : A Court Room 

Enter merchant and finder of the money 

Judge. Are you willing to testify under oath that there 
was $800 in the package you lost ? 

Merchant. I am. 

Judge. Old man, do you testify under oath that you did 
not open the package? 

The old man. I do. 

Judge. If the package you lost, my dear merchant, con- 
tained $800, then this package which contains only $700 
cannot be yours. I command you to return it to the finder. 
You must wait until someone comes who has found a 
package containing $800. And you (turning to the finder 
of the money) will keep this money until someone comes 
who lost $700 and can prove that it is his property. 
(Exit all.) 

DIOGENES 

At the time of Alexander there lived in Corinth a very wise, 
though eccentric man named Diogenes. He was seen one day 
walking about the streets of the city carrying a lantern and staring 
rudely at every person he happened to meet. When he was asked 
what he was looking for he brusquely answered, "An honest man, 
and such a one is hard to find." 

One of the maxims which Diogenes carried to extremes was that 
man should have as few wants as possible. For this reason he 
never shaved or cut his hair. He wore ragged clothes and lived 
in a large cask. One day, observing a boy drinking out of his 
hands, he threw away his cup, convinced that he could do with- 
out it. 

Alexander had heard of Diogenes and decided to pay him a visit. 



LANGUAGE 63 

One day, accompanied by his lords and ladies, he called on the 
strange philosopher. He found him lying before his cask, sunning 
himself. When Diogenes saw the cavalcade approaching, he sat up, 
and returned the friendly greetings of Alexander. 

Alexander engaged him in a lengthy conversation and found his 
replies and opinions both interesting and instructive. Finally he 
asked him, "Will you allow me to confer a favor upon you?" 
"Oh, yes !" was the quick response, "you can step aside a little so 
that the sunlight will strike me." 

Upon hearing this retort the courtiers laughed at Alexander's 
expense, but the monarch, turning toward them, said, "Were I not 
Alexander, I should like to be Diogenes." 

DIOGENES 

Persons Represented : Diogenes, people of Corinth, a boy, 
Alexander and his courtiers. 

Scene I: Corinth 

Diogenes is walking along the streets of Corinth^ carrying 

a lantern^ which he holds in the faces of 

persons he meets 

A citizen. What, fellow ! Why do you carry a lantern 

in broad daylight and hold it in my face? 

Diogenes. I am looking for an honest man, and such 
a one is hard to find. 

Second citizen. Take away the lantern. What are you 
looking for? 

Diogenes. An honest man, and such a one is hard to 
find. 

Scene II : Cask with Diogenes lying before it in the sun 
He sees a hoy drinking water out of his hands 
Diogenes. Boy, you have taught me a lesson. Hitherto 
I thought I could not do without my cup, but I find I can. 
(Throws away a cup.) 



64 MODERN METHODS 

The hoy. I use a cup only at home, where my mother 
will not allow me to drink out of my hands. 

Diogenes. Boy, your eyes are better than mine; who 
appears to be coming this way ? 

The hoy. It is King Alexander and his courtiers. 

Alexander (entering). Diogenes, I have heard of your 
strange philosophy, and have come to hold converse with 
you. 

Diogenes. I am at your service, but, mayhap, you may 
find my philosophy as poor as myself. (They talk in low 
tones while the courtiers make merry over the strange 
hahitation of Diogenes.) 

Alexander (aloud). Diogenes, your replies and opinions 
are both interesting and instructive. I wish to show my 
appreciation of your worth. Will you allow me to confer 
a favor upon you? 

Diogenes. Oh, yes ! You can step aside a little so that 
the sunlight can strike me. (The courtiers laugh at Alex- 
ander s expense. Alexander turns towards them.) 

Alexander. Were I not Alexander, I should like to be 
Diogenes. 

THE BLIND SENATOR 

After the first defeat of the Romans by Pyrrhus, the Greek 
leader assumed that the Romans would be anxious to make peace. 
So he sent an envoy to Rome to make preliminary arrangements 
for peace. The envoy took with him many beautiful presents, which 
he offered to the Romans, but which they refused to take. 

Finally his crafty, flattering speeches exerted some influence on 
the Roman Senate. There were a few senators who declared them- 
selves in favor of accepting the proposals of Pyrrhus, which would 
make the Greeks joint rulers with the Romans over Italy. 

Then it was that an aged and blind senator arose. "Hitherto," 
he cried out, "I have mourned the loss of my eyesight ; now I wish 
I were deaf, also, that I could not hear the unworthy exhibition of 



LANGUAGE 65 

your cowardice. Are you afraid of a people who have for years 
been plundered by the Macedonians? Do you tremble before an 
adventurer whose father begged for the privilege of being the 
servant of Alexander?" This had its effect, and the Senate unani- 
mously decided not to think of peace until Pyrrhus had been driven 
out of Italy. 

When the envoy returned to Pyrrhus to inform him of the result 
of his mission, he said, "The Roman Senate appeared to me like 
an assembly of kings." 

Soon after this, Pyrrhus left Italy, and southern Italy was joined 
to the Roman Republic. 

THE BLIND SENATOR 
Persons Represented: Pyrrhus, a page and Menius. 
Scene I : In the tent of Pyrrhus. 

Pyrrhus. I have defeated the Romans with great slaugh- 
ter, but my forces have also suffered severely. I wish I 
could bring about peace. Ho, page ! Ask Menius to come 
hither. 

Menius (enters). What are your commands, my lord? 

Pyrrhus. I desire to have you go to Rome to urge openly 
and by craft the necessity of making peace. Take with 
you costly presents which you may distribute among the 
Roman senators. You may propose to them that the Greeks 
would be willing to become joint rulers with the Romans 
of Italy. 

Menius. I will do my best, my lord. (Departs.) 

Scene II : Menius before the Roman Senate. 

Menius. Senators, King Pyrrhus, the magnanimous, 
sends greetings and asks you to accept as a token of his 
friendship these presents. 

First senator. We are not in the habit of accepting 
gifts from our enemies. 



66 MODERN METHODS 

Second senator. Take back the presents and tell Pyrrhiis 
that in the next battle we'll take by force what we now 
refuse as a gift. 

Third senator, I like not this friendship offering. 

Menius. Well spoken, senators ; I admire your frankness 
and independence. I think, however, you will agree with 
me that you have nothing to gain by prolonging the war. 
Your forces have met with a crushing defeat. Even now 
Pyrrhus is ready to march against Rome. But he does not 
want to destroy Rome unless you force him to do it. He 
wishes to preserve it and add to its glories. 

A senator. Methinks there is some truth to what he 
says. 

Another. With Pyrrhus as an ally we could conquer 
the world. 

A blind senator. What! Hitherto I have mourned the 
loss of my eyesight; now I wish I were deaf, also, that I 
could not hear the unworthy exhibition of your cowardice. 
Are you afraid of a people who for years have been plun- 
dered by the Macedonians? Do you tremble before an 
adventurer who has begged the privilege of being a servant 
of Alexander's? Is the old-time Roman courage dead? 

Another senator. You are right. Pyrrhus has defeated 
us, but his army has suffered severe loss. He probably 
cannot hope for reinforcements from Greece, so he sends 
this envoy to us with presents and crafty flattering speeches 
to induce us to enter into an alliance with Pyrrhus which 
eventually would mean the overthrow of Rome. 

Another senator. We will not make peace until Pyrrhus 
is driven out of Italy. What say you, senators? (They 
vote nnanimously not to make peace, but to continue the 
war. Menius leaves.) 



LANGUAGE 67 

Scene III : The tent of Pyrrhus. 

Menius (enters tent). Lord Pyrrhus, I have but now 
returned from Rome. 

Pyrrhus. Has Rome declared in favor of peace? 

Menius. I have failed in my mission. The Romans 
spurned the presents and the proposals of peace, and are 
now preparing for another conflict. 

Pyrrhus. What think you of the Roman Senate? 

Menius. The Roman Senate appeared to me to be like 
an assembly of kings. 

Pyrrhus. Then my dream of conquest will not come 
true. 

THE ENGLISHMAN AND THE FRENCHMAN 

One day a Frenchman rode toward a bridge which was so narrow 
that two horsemen could hardly pass each other. Just as he reached 
the bridge an Englishman arrived at the opposite end. When they 
came to the middle, neither would turn out for the other. 

"An Englishman does not make room for a Frenchman," said 
the Briton. 

"My horse is also English," calmly remarked the Frenchman. 

"Very well," declared the Englishman, "I can wait. I shall take 
this opportunity to read today's paper. Tell me when you are ready 
to allow me to pass." 

Thereupon he took a newspaper from his pocket and began to 
read. Meanwhile the Frenchman had taken a pipe from his pocket 
and begun to smoke. 

After an hour the Englishman turned to the Frenchman, saying, 
"Well?" But the Frenchman, imitating the haughty Englishman, 
answered, "I see you have finished reading your paper. Kindly 
hand it to me, so that I may read it until you are ready to allow 
me to pass." 

Then the Englishman, appreciating the absurdity of the situation, 
laughingly declared, "I enjoyed your company on the bridge im- 
mensely, and take great pleasure in turning aside for an English 
horse." 



68 MODERN METHODS 

THE ENGLISHMAN AND THE FRENCHMAN 

Persons Represented : A Frenchman, an Englishman. 

Scene : A narrow bridge. 

Enter Frenchman and Englishman, who meet in the 
middle of the bridge. 

Englishman. An EngHshman does not make room for a 
Frenchman. 

Frenchman. My horse is also English. 

Englishman. Very well; I can wait. I shall take this 
opportunity to read today's paper. Tell me when you are 
ready to allow me to pass. (Takes a newspaper from his 
pocket and begins to read.) 

Frenchman. While you read your paper I shall smoke 
my pipe. (Takes a pipe from his pocket and begins to 
smoke.) 

Some time later 

Englishman. An hour has passed. What now ? 

Frenchman. I see you have finished reading the paper. 
Kindly hand it to me, so that I may read it until you are 
ready to allow me to pass. 

Englishman. Enough of this nonsense. I enjoyed your 
company on the bridge immensely, and I am delighted to 
turn aside for — an English horse. 



CHAPTER V 

THE STUDY OF POETRY 

One of the purposes in the teaching of language is to 
awaken in children an appreciation and liking for poetry, 
''the mother tongue of nations." 

MOTHER GOOSE MELODIES 

In the kindergarten, first and second grades, the poems 
selected should be read to children. The teacher should 
read them again and again, calling attention to the beautiful 
pictures, but introducing few explanations or questions. It 
is the music in the poems that appeals to the pupils more 
than the pictures. For this reason, in teaching poetry, 
teachers should imitate the method made use of by the 
home in introducing children to the Mother Goose Melodies. 
In the home the little two-year-old learns all of those selec- 
tions in the course of a few weeks by hearing the mother 
read or recite them over and over again. They are learned 
without conscious effort, even though the thought may be 
somewhat beyond the comprehension of the child. 

To teach poetry effectively in school, some fundamental 
conditions must be lived up to. The teacher must love 
poetry herself. She must appreciate the aesthetic culture 
value of this highest form of literature, in order to lead 
children to understand and appreciate it. The tone of voice 
in reading must harmonize with and suggest the thought, 
for nowhere is the living voice of the teacher so effective as 
in the oral presentation of poems. 

69 



70 MODERN METHODS 

POEMS FOR PRIMARY GRADES 

In selecting poems for these early grades, care should be 
taken to secure those that are suitable to the stage of 
advancement of the children, and hence will readily appeal 
to them. Poets write from the heart, and poems, therefore, 
appeal to the heart. For this reason, also, the thought must 
be within the easy comprehension of the children. While 
humorous and story poems may be used in these early 
grades, most of the poems selected should have the stamp 
of the classic. 

POETRY ABOVE THE SECOND GRADE 

In the grades beginning with the third, two kinds of 
work should be undertaken. The reading of poems by the 
teacher to give pleasure to the pupils and to give them a 
wide range of contact with poetry, should continue. In 
addition to this, a certain number of poems should be read 
critically each year in class. While the method of teaching 
will depend somewhat on the character of each selection, 
there are, nevertheless, some general things that may be 
considered as applicable to the teaching of any poem. 

METHOD OF TEACHING POEMS 

While it is questioned by some teachers whether a poem 
that is to be studied should first be read by the teacher 
to the class, the arguments favoring such procedure seem 
pedagogically sound, and this practice is here favored. 

The teacher, then, should first read the poem to the class. 
A poem, however, is a work of art. Its language is on a 
much higher plane than that of everyday life. Poetry is 
characterized by rhythm, rhyme and versification, all of 
which suggest that, to a certain degree, the poem should 



LANGUAGE 71 

be rendered in an artistic way. This also suggests the neces- 
sity of careful preparation on the part of the teacher. SVie 
must not only appreciate the thought, but she must practice 
the oral reading until she is thoroughly at home with the 
selection. 

The oral reading by the teacher will furnish pupils the 
general underlying thought of the poem, and, let us hope, 
awaken a desire to study more deeply into its beauties, and 
to learn to read the poem as well as the teacher read it. 

The careful study of a poem is not an easy task. Again, 
it behooves the teacher to make careful preparation for 
conducting the thought analysis based on the poem. Such 
special preparation puts the teacher at her ease and enables 
her to lead pupils into the higher realms of thought. How- 
ever, it may be advisable to voice a caution in connection 
with the study of poems. The teacher should not over- 
analyze a poem, nor try to find out whether pupils grasp 
every possible shade of meaning represented or suggested 
by the poem. 

BIOGRAPHY OF POETS 

In the middle and upper grades, children should be intro- 
duced to the biographies of the poets whose poems they are 
studying. Poems represent interesting subject matter cast 
in a beautiful form. It is the province of the school to 
make pupils conscious of the art side of poems. A study 
of the biographies of the poets not only helps to explain a 
poem by making it more personal, but the personality of the 
poet throws light on his artistic temperament and feeling, 
and thus the poems come to have deeper meanings to the 
pupils. 



72 MODERN METHODS 

COMMITTING POEMS TO MEMORY 

Short excerpts from many poems should be committed to 
memory by the entire class. The part selected should be 
learned in class under the direction and inspiration of the 
teacher. The selections should be recited from time to 
time throughout the entire school course, so that they may 
become a living part of the poetical repertory of the chil- 
dren. Only a few poems should be committed in their 
entirety. To commit many poems to memory would take 
too much time, and the resultant recitations by the pupils 
would partake too much of the nature of tests. The poems 
and parts of poems which are committed to memory should 
also be read and recited in concert at regular intervals 
according to rules laid down by the teacher. There is 
nothing more inspiring than the concert rendition of a soul- 
inspiring poem. 

THE FINAL TEST 

If the work of the teacher has been successful, pupils, 
especially in the higher grades, should be willing to study 
poems of their own selection independently of the teacher, 
and to read or recite them before the class. This may be 
considered the final objective point, which, if attained, will 
be an indication of the pupil's power and desire to include 
poetry in his private reading. 

ILLUSTRATIVE EXERCISES 

THE LITTLE JEWELS 

A million little jewels 

Twinkled on the trees, 
And all the little maidens said, 

"A jewel, if you please;" 



LANGUAGE 11 

Eut while they held their hands outstretched 

To catch the diamonds gay, 
A million little sunbeams came 

And stole them all away; 

CONVERSATION AND DISCUSSION 

Before reading or reciting this poem to the class, the 
teacher should engage the pupils in conversation in order to 
prepare them to see the pictures the poem presents. In her 
questions the teacher should introduce words and phrases 
occurring in the poem, freely using the same tone of voice 
and emphasis that she expects the pupils to use w^hen they 
render the whole poem. 

The conversation may be somewhat as follows : 

How many of you have seen the little dewdrops "twinkle" 
on the grass and on the trees early in the morning? Like 
what do they look? I think they look like *'a million little 
jewels;" don't you? 

What happened to these little dewdrops when "a million 
little sunbeams came"? In this conversation the children 
should be encouraged to use the phrases, "twinkle," "a mil- 
lion little jewels," etc. 

PRESENTATION OF THE POEM. 

The teacher should then recite or read the poem in a light, 
musical way, suggestive of the manner in which the mother 
recites Mother Goose rhymes to her little two-year-old. 

By accenting alike both syllables of the word "twinkled," 
in the second line, the rhythm is brought out clearly. In 
the fourth line the music is brought out best by accenting 
fully the first syllable of "jewel" and slurring over the 
second. Lines five and six should be read in such a way 
as to suggest suspense or expectation, because we know 
something is going to happen. 



74 MODERN METHODS 

If the poem has been read well, three pictures will stand 
out clearly in the minds of the children. 

COMMITTING TO MEMORY 

When the poem has been read several times by the pupils, 
after they fully understand and appreciate it, it should be 
committed to memory. In memorizing the poem the teacher 
should come to the assistance of the pupils. By working 
with the pupils the teacher can get them to learn the poem in 
half the time that it would take if they learned it by study- 
ing it by themselves. 

THE WORLD IS FULL OF BEAUTY 

There is beauty in the forest, 

When the trees are green and fair; 
There is beauty in the meadow, 

Where wild flowers scent the air; 
There is beauty in the sunlight, 

And the soft, blue beam above; 
Oh, the world is full of beauty 

When the heart is full of love! 

THE STUDY OF THE POEM 

By skillful questioning the teacher will succeed In getting 
from her class a number of expressions like the following: 

I like the woods. The woods are beautiful. The woods 
are full of beautiful trees. I like the pretty flowers in the 
woods. Little birds fly about and sing sweet songs. 

The meadow is beautiful, too. The air smells sweet from 
the wild flowers. The blue sky is beautiful. In the day- 
time the sun shines in the blue sky. At night the moon and 
the stars make the sky look beautiful. 

The teacher may suggest to the pupils that the whole 
world is beautiful when the heart is full of love. 



LANGUAGE 75 

This prepares the pupil to appreciate the poem when the 
teacher reads or recites it to them. It should be read rather 
slowly and impressively, to give the imagination of the 
pupils time to construct and appreciate the beautiful pictures 
suggested by it. 

The teacher should read or recite the poem a number of 
times; then she should help the pupils in committing it to 
memory. She should begin this by repeating the first two 
lines a few times and then having a pupil repeat them 
with the same enthusiasm and spirit manifested by the 
teacher. Then the entire class should repeat the lines in 
concert under the direction of the teacher. The first six 
lines are to be considered as introductory to the climax : 

Oh, the world is full of beauty 
When the heart is full of love! 



THE DISAPPOINTED SNOWFLAKES 

Four and twenty snowflakes 

Came tumbling from the sky, 
And said, "Let's make a snowdrift — 

We can if we but try." 
So down they gently fluttered 

And lighted on the ground. 
And when they were all seated 

They sadly looked around. 

"We're very few indeed," sighed they, 
"And we sometimes make mistakes; 
We cannot make a snowdrift 

With four and twenty flakes." 
Just then the sun peeped round a cloud 

And smiled at the array, 
And the disappointed snowflakes 
Melted quietly away. 



76 MODERN METHODS 

THOUGHT ANALYSIS 

This little poem can be used for reading in a third grade. 
After the teacher has read the poem expressively, she 
should engage the pupils in a conversation as suggested by 
the following questions : 

How did the snowflakes come from the sky ? How many 
were there? What did they say? Say it just as you think 
the snowflakes said it. Have you ever seen a snowdrift? 
Why did they look around sadly when they were seated on 
the ground ? What did they realize when they were seated 
on the ground ? What happened when the sun peeped round 
a cloud? 

READING BY THE CHILDREN 

If the pupils have entered heartily into the analysis of this 
simple poem, no trouble will be experienced in getting them 
to read it expressively. If the first quotation is not given 
expressively, the teacher may read the lines herself and 
have the pupils imitate her; or, better, she may ask the 
pupils whether the snowflakes were certain they could make 
a snowdrift and were happy in the thought that they could 
make a large one. The rendering of the lines then should 
indicate self-assurance and happiness. The teacher should 
suggest to the pupils that the words "gently fluttered" tell 
us how to read the fifth and sixth lines. In helping the 
pupils to determine how to read the first sentence of the 
second stanza, their attention should be called to the force of 
the word "sighed." Why should the last two lines be read 
slowly ? 



LANGUAGE 77 



FAREWELL TO THE FARM 

— Stevenson. 

The coach is at the door at last; 
The eager children, mounting fast 
And kissing hands, in chorus sing — 
Good-by, good-by to everything! 

To house and garden, field and lawn. 
The meadow-gates we swung upon. 
To pump and stable, tree and swing — 
Good-by, good-by to everything! 

And fare you well for ever more, 
O ladder at the hay-loft door, 
O hay-loft where the cobwebs cling — 
Good-by, good-by to everything! 

Crack goes the whip, and off we go; 
The trees and houses smaller grow; 
Last, round the woody turn we swing — 
Good-by, good-by to everything! 

PREPARATION 

As a preparation for the reading of this poem, the teacher 
should engage the pupils in a conversation as suggested by 
the f oUov^ing questions : 

How many of you have ever visited a farm? What did 
you do on the farm ? What did you like best ? 

THOUGHT ANALYSIS 

Read the poem through silently. Who, do you suppose, 
the children were that were leaving the farm? Did they 
Hve on the farm or had they visited there for several days ? 
Why were they eager to climb into the coach? Name the 
different things mentioned in the second and third stanzas 



78 MODERN METHODS 

to which the children said good-by. What makes you 
think the children had had a good time? 



KING SOLOMON AND THE ANTS 

—Whittier. 

As introductory to the thought analysis of the poem it 
might be well for the teacher to tell of the visit of the 
Queen of Sheba at the court of King Solomon. This fur- 
nishes the historical setting. 

It is suggested that the teacher have the pupils read a 
stanza or two silently and then answer questions by the 
teacher, to the end that they may describe the picture the 
poet had in mind. This prose description should then be 
compared with the poetic description. 

A prose version is inserted below each stanza, which, it 
is hoped, may be suggestive of what the teacher may secure 
from the pupils, and which will be of assistance to the pupils 
in their expressive reading of the poem. 

The many transposed phrases and clauses make it rather 
difficult to read it easily, and it may be necessary for the 
teacher to read certain stanzas to assist the pupils in their 
reading of the poem. Finally, the pupils may use the poem 
as a basis for a written composition. 

Out from Jerusalem 

The King rode with his great 
War chiefs and lords of state, 

And Sheba's Queen was with them. 

A cavalcade of generals and statesmen is issuing from 
one of the gates of Jerusalem. At the head of this body of 
high-born lords and ladies rode King Solomon and the 
Queen of Sheba. 



LANGUAGE 79 

Proud in the Syrian sun, 

In gold and purple sheen, 

The dusky Ethiop Queen 
Smiled on King Solomon. 

The Syrian sun shines bright and is reflected from the 
gold and purple dress worn by the dark-skinned Ethiopian 
Queen. The Queen is proud of the opportunity of being 
with King Solomon. She is carrying on a conversation with 
him and is unmindful of everything except the King. 

Wisest of men, he knew 

The languages of all 

The creatures great or small 
That trod the earth or flew. 

King Solomon was known as the wisest of men. He was 
wise not only in the affairs of men, but he knew the habits 
of all the animals of the forest and field, and therefore could 
understand and interpret their actions. 

Across an ant hill led 

The King's path, and he heard 
Its small folk, and their word 

He thus interpreted: 

"Here comes the King men greet 
As wise and good and just. 
To crush us in the dust 
Under his heedless feet." 

The cavalcade was approaching an ant hill, and the King 
imagined the ants were saying, ''Here comes the King 
known throughout the world as wise and good and just, 
who is about to crush us in the dust under his heedless 
feet." 

The great King bowed his head, 
And saw the wide surprise 
Of the Queen of Sheba's eyes 
As he told her what they said. 



80 MODERN METHODS 

When Solomon told the Queen what he thought the ants 
feared might happen, she was surprised to think that the 
great King Solomon would deign to consider the rights of 
such lowly creatures as the ants. 

"Oh, King !" she whispered sweet, 
"Too happy fate have they 

Who perish in thy way 
Beneath thy gracious feet!" 

"Thou of the God-lent crown, 
Shall these vile creatures dare 
Murmur against thee where 
The knees of kings kneel down?" 

The Queen then told the King that she thought anyone 
should consider himself happy to die under his gracious 
feet, and that, since kings were proud to kneel before him, 
surely these vile creatures would not dare murmur against 
him. 

"Nay," Solomon replied, 

"The wise and strong should seek 
The welfare of the weak," 
And turned his horse aside. 

But Solomon was not influenced by the flattery of the 
Queen. He declared that the wise and strong should seek 
the welfare of the weak. By this he meant that it was the 
duty of a ruler to protect and improve the condition of his 
subjects. Solomon turned his horse aside and thus avoided 
the ant hill. 

His train, with quick alarm. 
Turned with their leader round 
The ant hill's peopled mound. 

And left it free from harm. 



LANGUAGE 81 

The other members of the party then also rode around 
the ant hill, and so the ants were left free from harm. 

The jeweled head bent low; 
"O King!" she said, "henceforth 
The secret of thy worth 
And wisdom well I know 

"Happy must be the State 
Whose ruler heedeth more 
The murmurs of the poor 
Than flatteries of the great." 

The Queen felt the rebuke of the King's words. With 
her jeweled head bent low, she said, "O King, now I know 
the secret of your greatness and goodness. I realize how 
happy the people must be who have a ruler who is kind and 
just to all his people." 



AMERICA 

My country, 'tis of thee, 
Sweet land of liberty. 

Of thee I sing; 
Land where my fathers died, 
Land of the Pilgrims' pride, 
From every mountain-side 

Let freedom ring. 

My native country, thee. 
Land of the noble free, — 

Thy name I love; 
I love thy rocks and rills, 
Thy woods and templed hills; 
My heart with rapture thrills 

Like that above. 



82 MODERN METHODS 

Let music swell the breeze, 
And ring from all the trees, 

Sweet freedom's song; 
Let mortal tongues awake. 
Let all that breathe partake, 
Let rocks their silence break, — 

The sound prolong. 

Our fathers' God, to Thee, 
Author of liberty, 

To Thee we sing; 
Long may our land be bright 
With freedom's holy light; 
Protect us by Thy might, 

Great God, our King. 



THOUGHT ANALYSIS 

Why is the thought suggested by the words "free," "lib- 
erty" and "freedom" brought out so often in this poem? 
To whom do you think the poet refers by "my fathers," in 
the first stanza? Why does he call this country "the land 
of the Pilgrims' pride"? In the second stanza, what does 
the poet declare he loves? What does "templed hills" 
suggest? How can rocks break their silence and prolong 
the sound? How has the poet prepared his readers in the 
first two stanzas for an appeal he makes in the third stanza ? 
If we call the third stanza an appeal, may we call the fourth 
a prayer ? Read the fourth stanza in such a way as to bring 
out the thought that man, though free, humbles himself 
before his God. 

Read the poem expressively and then commit it to 
memory. 



LANGUAGE 83 

ABOU BEN ADHEM 

— Leigh Hunt. 

Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!) 
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace, 
And saw within the moonlight of his room. 
Making it rich and like a lily in bloom. 
An angel writing in a book of gold; 
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold, 
And to the presence in the room he said, 

"What writest thou?" The vision raised its head. 
And with a look made all of sweet accord. 
Answered, "The names of those who love the Lord." 

"And is mine one?" said Adhem. "Nay, not so," 
Replied the angel. Adhem spoke more low. 
But cheerily still, and said, "I pray thee, then. 
Write me as one who loves his fellow men." 
The angel wrote and vanished; the next night 
He came again with great wakening light, 
And showed the names whom love of God had blest, 
And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest. 

Why did the room look like a "lily in bloom" while the 
angel was writing in the book of gold ? What was it really 
that made Ben Adhem bold? What is meant by *' Write me 
as one who loves his fellow men" ? Why do. you suppose 
Ben Adhem's name led all the rest? 

TO A WATERFOWL 
— Bryant. 

Whither, midst falling dew. 

While glow the heavens with the last steps of day. 
Far, through their rosy depths, dost thou pursue 

Thy solitary way? 

Read the entire poem. What is the central thought sug- 
gested by it ? What is a waterfowl ? ■ Did Bryant have a 
particular waterfowl in mind when he wrote the poem? 



84 MODERN METHODS 

What time is suggested by the first stanza ? V»'liy does not 
the poet use the form you instead of thou? What is the 
force of "sohtary" ? Describe the picture suggested by this 
stanza. 

Vainly the fowler's eye 

Might mark thy distant flight to do thee wrong, 
As darkly seen against the crimson sky, 

Thy figure floats along. 

What is the central thought of the second stanza ? What 
is the force of "vainly" ? Of "floats" ? 

Seek'st thou the plashy brink 
Of weedy lake, or marge of river wide. 

Or where the rocking billows rise and sink 
On the chafed ocean-side? 

What is meant by "plashy brink of weedy lake"? Of 
"marge of river wide"? What is the peculiar force of 
"chafed"? What kind of a coast is suggested? 

There is a Power whose care 

Teaches thy way along that pathless coast — 

The desert and illimitable air — 
Lone wandering, but not lost. 

Why "pathless coast" ? What is the force of "desert and 
illimitable"? Why not "lost"? 

All day thy wings have fanned, 

At that far height, the cold, thin atmosphere. 

Yet stoop not, weary, to the welcome land, 
Though the dark night is near. 

What is the thought or picture suggested by this stanza? 
Would the land be a welcome land? What picture is sug- 
gested by "fanned"? What do you know of the power of 
flight of waterfowl? 



LANGUAGE 85 

And soon that toil shall end; 

Soon shalt thou find a summer home and rest, 
And scream among thy fellows; reeds shall bend. 

Soon o'er thy sheltered nest. 

What summer home is meant? What enjoyment is the 
fowl to find in that home? Will no hunters disturb the 
nest in the Southern climes? 

Thou'rt gone, the abyss of heaven 

Hath swallowed up thy form; yet, on my heart 

Deeply has sunk the lesson thou hast given, 
And shall not soon depart. 

What picture is suggested by ''the abyss of heaven hath 
swallowed up thy form" ? 

He who, from zone to zone. 

Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight. 
In the long way that I must tread alone, 

Will lead my steps aright. 

Why "from zone to zone"? What is the lesson taught 
by the flight of the waterfowl? 

Picture the poet and his thoughts as he sees the water- 
fowl in its flight southward, and as it is swallowed up by 
the abyss of heaven. Add thoughts of your own and 
describe the entire picture. 



THE RECESSIONAL 

— Kipling 

God of our fathers, known of old — 
Lord of our far-flung battle-line, 

Beneath whose awful Hand we hold 
Dominion over palm and pine — 

Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet. 

Lest we forget — lest we forget ! 



86 MODERN METHODS 

The tumult and the shouting dies — 
The Captains and the Kings depart. 

Still stands Thine ancient Sacrifice, 
An humble and a contrite heart. 

Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, 

Lest we forget — lest we forget ! 

Far-called our navies melt away — 
On dune and headland sinks the fire; 

Lo, all our pomp of yesterday 
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre ! 

Judge of the Nations, spare us yet, 

Lest we forget — lest we forget! 

If drunk with sight of power, we loose 
Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe — 

Such boasting as the Gentiles use 
Or lesser breeds without the Law — 

Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, 

Lest we forget — lest we forget ! 

For heathen heart that puts her trust ' 

In reeking tube and iron shard — 
All valiant dust that builds on dust, 

And guarding calls not Thee to guard — 
For frantic boast and foolish word, 
Thy mercy on Thy People, Lord ! 

Amen. 

What is meant by a "Recessional" ? How does England 
hold "dominion over palm and pine" ? Contrast the picture 
suggested by the first and second lines of the second stanza 
vv^ith that suggested by the second and third Hues of the 
same stanza. Is the ancient sacrifice the "humble and con- 
trite heart" ? What fate befell Nineveh and Tyre ? What 
does the third stanza mean? The fourth? Is the poem 
a hymn? What general thought or sentiment does it sug- 
gest? How often does this idea appear in the poem ? What 
lesson has the poem for us as a nation? 



CHAPTER VI 

THE STUDY OF PICTURES 
WHY PICTURES SHOULD BE STUDIED 

As the poet speaks through the poem, so the artist speaks 
through the picture. Pictures should be studied in school, 
because, like poetry, they can be made the means of devel- 
oping the aesthetic taste of children. The study of the 
masterpieces in good reproductions will not only assist in 
the development of the imagination, but will aid in the 
cultivation of higher ideals. 

In all instruction the aim should be to make it as objec- 
tive as possible. Next to the study of the thing itself comes 
the study of the picture of the thing. When it is impos- 
sible or inexpedient, as it may be in the case of science, 
history or geography, to study the things themselves, there 
is obviously no better plan than to use a pictorial repre- 
sentation as an aid in studying the subject under con- 
sideration. Furthermore, the study of pictures not only 
strengthens the power of analysis as applied to representa- 
tions, but this power so gained is transferred to the study 
of things or natural phenomena and life. In all oral pres- 
entations by the teacher pictures help in vivifying and clari- 
fying ideas. The study of pictures in connection with 
school work is still in its infancy, but in the course of time 
pictures and stereopticons will be used more and more as 
their pedagogic value is more widely recognized. 

The study of pictures is on a higher plane than the repro- 
duction of stories told or read. It is partly original com- 

87 



88 MODERN METHODS 

position work, inasmuch as the content is simply sug- 
gested." Thus the translation of a picture into words is an 
exercise of the creative imagination and thinking power. 

WHAT PICTURES TO SELECT 

The selection of pictures is of the utmost importance if 
the efforts of the teacher are to be successful. No picture 
that is not characteristically correct should be used. It is 
evident, also, that the more perfect a picture is, the easier 
it will be to translate the picture the artist had in mind, into 
reality. 

Caricatures, though ugly and inartistic to the adult eye, 
if characteristically suggestive, will appeal to children, 
and may be used occasionally for language work. The 
limited use of pictures, as found in the comic supplements 
of metropolitan Sunday papers, does not imply that there 
is danger of cultivating a taste for poor pictures. A comic 
situation, while it may stimulate pupils' efforts at inter- 
pretation, will soon be forgotten when it has served its 
purpose. 

Pictures represent, in the main, general ideas, and their 
interpretation demands the filling in of details, which is 
impossible if pupils are lacking in the necessary life expe- 
riences. Hence care should be exercised in selecting pic- 
tures that appeal to children's interests. As a rule, those 
that suggest action and a plot which is not too intricate are 
the best. 

NECESSARY PREPARATION 

Before attempting to direct pupils in the study of a pic- 
ture, the teacher should be sure that she is master of it 
herself. She must know what she intends to teach by 
means of the picture, and the order or method of pro- 



LANGUAGE 89 

cedure. How the artist conceived the picture under dis- 
cussion, is the question she must assist the children in 
answering. This can only be done after careful and intel- 
ligent study and reflection. It is only in this way that a 
masterpiece will reveal its inner meaning and appear in the 
idealized form that led the artist to produce it. 

HOW PICTURES SHOULD BE STUDIED 

If the picture suggests a story, the questions of the 
teacher should be directed to secure activity on the part of 
the pupils in bringing out that which immediately pre- 
ceded the climax and that which followed it. It is this 
phase of the work that is most important, since the picture 
itself constitutes the main climax and naturally manifests 
itself directly and without much study. Latitude in this 
phase of the work should not only be allowed but sys- 
tematically encouraged. Thus, by describing what imme- 
diately preceded the climax, an introduction to the story is 
secured, and by describing what followed the climax, a 
suitable close is found, and the composition, with its three 
parts, introduction, climax and close, is complete. When 
this stage is reached, pupils should be required to tell the 
whole story suggested by the picture in a connected way. 

If pupils have not the life experiences necessary to inter- 
pret a picture, it is not suitable for study, but sometimes by 
judicious questions the teacher can call up in the pupils' 
minds the apperceptive mass necessary to understand and 
appreciate the picture. 

The teacher should guard against having pupils simply 
enumerate what may be seen in a picture. The main 
thought for which the pupils are to look should always be 
borne in mind. While haste and carelessness in the study 
of pictures should be avoided, pupils should not be required 



90 



MODERN METHODS 



to spend too much time on a picture. Children like a 
change, and tediousness in a teaching exercise is an unpar- 
donable pedagogical sin. 

At times the teacher should say to her pupils, "This is 
what the picture tells me," and then give a full version of 
her interpretation as a model and inspiration for her 
pupils. When pupils have gained some power in reading 
pictures they should be encouraged to make a silent study 
of a picture and then tell what it means to them. The only 
function of the teacher would then be to ask questions if 
essential things have been omitted. 

ILLUSTRATIVE EXERCISES 




SAVED 



The following questions will suggest the method of pro- 
cedure in studying the above picture : 



LANGUAGE 91 

1. What has this brave dog done? Where was the Httle 
girl playing? How did it happen that the dog was there 
also? What kind of a place is it where the child played? 
Is the water shallow or deep here? Did the girl and the 
dog have a good time ? How did the accident happen ? 

2. What did the dog do then ? Tell how he managed to 
get to the shore with the little girl. Tell what the dog did 
after he saved the child's life. 

3. Did help come soon? Why do you think so? Who 
came? Tell how the child's parents felt towards the good 
old dog. How did the little girl feel ? 

After pupils have answered the above questions, and pos- 
sibly others asked by the teacher, and carried on a free 
conversation, the pupils should be required to tell the entire 
story. To assist them in this, it might be well for the 
teacher to prepare a synopsis calling attention to the sequen- 
tial order to be observed. This should differ slightly from 
the order of the questions. It will be noticed that the first 
question brings out the climax of the story at once. This 
is in harmony with the manner in which the picture appeals 
to the children. However, in telling the story in a con- 
nected way, it might be well to have the pupils tell what 
took place before the accident, and thus secure a proper 
setting for the story. But this setting depends largely on 
the viewpoint and experience of each pupil. Hence the 
teacher should not attempt to force her interpretation on 
the pupils, but urge them to supply their own setting. Then 
should follow the description of the climax, and finally that 
which may have taken place after the rescue. In this way 
much opportunity is given for the exercise of the creative 
imagination. 

Using this story as a suggestive basis, pupils may be 
encouraged to tell other stories showing sagacity of ani- 



92 



MODERN METHODS 



mals. Exercises like the following may be introduced : Tell 
a story about how your dog defended your little brother. 
Tell a story showing that dogs appear to be able to think. 
No trouble will be experienced by the teacher in having 
pupils tell stories about dogs if freedom and spontaneity 
have been encouraged in the telling of stories. The diffi- 
culty will be in suppressing the pupils who are anxious to 
talk all of the time, and in encouraging the timid ones or 
those of limited experience. 




THE DOCTOR 



LANGUAGE 93 

THOUGHT ANALYSIS 

What does the old man hold in his hand? To whom 
does it belong? What does the little girl want him to do 
with it? Who sent her? In what condition is this shoe? 
Study the old man's face. Study the little girl's face. 
What do you suppose he is saying to her? What is the 
little girl thinking? Is the old man really as cross as he 
wants to make believe ? Study his face again and tell what 
you see hidden back of the cross expression. Why do you 
think he repaired the shoe? 

ORAL EXERCISES 

1. Tell all you can about the little girl and her torn shoes 
and who sent her to the shoemaker with them. 

2. Tell how the shoemaker examined them and in What 
condition he found them. 

3. Tell what he said to the little girl, and how she felt. 

4. Tell about the man's kindness of heart, and how he 
finally decided to repair the shoes as well as he could. 

5. Tell the entire story as suggested by the picture. 



SUGGESTIVE MODE OF TREATMENT 

One day last summer my father and I took a long drive 
through the country. It was a beautiful day and I 
enjoyed my trip very much. We had many interesting 
experiences during the day and saw many pretty sights. 
The most interesting experience I had came towards sun- 
down. We were traveling along a road from which we 
occasionally caught glimpses of a small stream. Suddenly 
a bend in the road brought us in full view of the stream 
and the plain through which it was slowly winding its way. 

Study the picture on the opposite page and then describe 
the scene from the viewpoint of the person who is supposed 
to have written the above. 



LANGUAGE 97 



THOUGHT ANALYSIS 



1. Study the picture on the opposite page. What is 
the woman doing? Are there some clothes drying on the 
fence? Is the boy interested in what his mother is doing? 
Is he waiting to help her ? How ? 

Is the current of the river swift or slow? What makes 
you think so? 

What can you see in the distance? How far away are 
the mountains? Are they covered with snow? 

Describe the house. Of what is the lower part built? 
The upper part? What was used instead of shingles? 

Describe the interior of the house. 

Is the man a farmer? If so, where is his farm? Is it a 
large farm? 

Are these people rich? Are they contented? What 
makes them so? 

2. Suppose you are visiting in this place. Write a long 
letter such as you might write to your sister, describing the 
scene as the picture suggests, and telling how you spent the 
first few days with your young friend. 




THE YOUNG ARTIST 



LANGUAGE 99 

THOUGHT ANALYSIS 

When the teacher has carefully studied the picture on the 
opposite page she will be able to determine her method of 
helping pupils to study it. It is the climax of the picture 
that naturally appeals to the pupils first. For this reason 
the first series of questions should relate to the climax. 
But in telling the story suggested by the picture, there 
should be an introduction, a body and a close. It follows, 
then, that after the picture is discussed with pupils the out- 
line which is to serve as a basis for the oral or written 
composition based on the picture should be in harmony 
with the arrangement of the theme in general. 

The following questions will suggest the first mode of 
treatment : 

What thought came to the grandmother at the moment 
when she first saw the picture ? What makes you think so ? 
Is she vexed or pleased? Why? 

Does the boy realize that the grandmother stands behind 
him? What makes you think so? What has evidently 
just dawned on the younger girl? Describe her appear- 
ance, bringing out this thought. 

When did the older girl first realize whose picture her 
brother was drawing? How do you know? Why does 
she hold out her hand as if in warning? What does the 
fact that she dare do this suggest in regard to the dis- 
position of the grandmother? Give all the reasons you 
can for her desiring not to have the grandmother make her 
presence known. 

Tell what happened when the young artist turned around 
and faced the original of his picture. 



100 MODERN METHODS 

The following outline may be suggestive to the teacher 
in illustrating the kind of an outline she should work 
for as a preparation and guide for the oral or written 
composition. It must be understood, however, that pupils 
may conceive situations suggestive of an introduction and 
close differing from those introduced in the outline. They 
are to be encouraged in their efforts to do so. It gives 
them an opportunity to exercise their individuality and 
creative imagination. 

1. Tell about the boy's fondness for drawing at school 
and at home. 

2. Tell how, after school one day, he determined to sketch 
his grandmother, and describe the room in which he 
worked. 

3. Tell what effect the picture had on his sisters, and 
describe the scene at the moment the grandmother enters 
and sees the picture. 

4. Tell what happened when the young artist became 
aware of the presence of the grandmother. 

5. Tell how the boy pursued his studies in drawing, and 
how finally he attended an art school and became a famous 
artist. 



CHAPTER VII 
WRITTEN COMPOSITION 

FIRST STEPS 

Written composition should not be begun until pupils 
have gained facility in writing and spelling and thus have 
removed, at least in part, the mechanical difficulties which 
would otherwise interfere with the work. Beginning in 
the latter part of the first grade, exercises can be intro- 
duced which are preliminary to the written work and which 
gradually pave the way for it. 

This early work may consist In having children write 
sentences from dictation based on the reader. Attempts at 
what might be called original work should also be intro- 
duced. The teacher, for example, might engage the pupils 
in conversation in such a way that they express a desire 
to write a note to a sick classmate. By judicious question- 
ing the teacher can get a short sentence from the class like 
"Dear Dorothy, I hope you will soon be well." This the 
teacher can then write on the board in the form of a note 
for pupils to study. When the pupils have studied the 
words, the sentence can be erased and the pupils be asked 
to write the note from memory, signing their own names. 

COMPOSITE STORIES 

In the second grade, work of a similar character may 
be undertaken. The teacher and pupils, working together, 
can build up a composition made up of not more than three 
or four sentences based on a story, nature work, or anything 

101 



102 MODERN METHODS 

coming within the experience of the pupils. When the 
composition is finished, the pupils should study it under 
the direction of the teacher to the end that they may write 
it from memory. 

In the third grade, the writing of composite stories should 
be continued. But in this grade the compositions secured 
by the teacher and pupils, working together, may contain 
two or more paragraphs. This will enable the teacher to 
call attention to the necessity of telling the story in a 
certain way in order to please; that one thought must 
be given at a time, and that the sentences that belong 
together should be grouped into paragraphs. 

WRITTEN REPRODUCTION 

The next step is to have pupils reproduce in writing a 
short and simple story which they can tell well orally. 
Perhaps the simplest and easiest way to proceed is to have 
pupils make a study of a short story contained in the 
reader. Then the eye and the ear will be active in impress- 
ing the thought and the form in which it is cast on the 
minds of the pupils. 

After pupils can tell the story well orally, there should 
follow a study recitation in which the teacher directs the 
drill exercises necessary to remove certain mechanical diffi- 
culties like spelling, capitalization and punctuation, to the 
end that when pupils begin to write, their efforts will not 
be hampered too much by these things. 

It might be well also, in writing the first few stories, to 
have the teacher put questions on the board, in the answer- 
ing of which the written composition will result. Or an 
outline may be placed on the board containing a few sen- 
tences, each one of which suggests a unit of thought which 
the pupils are to work out by themselves. This might 



LANGUAGE 103 

later on give way to a briefer outline in which single catch 
words will suggest units of thought or paragraphs. 

Whatever plan may be followed, one thing is indispen- 
sable — namely, that the teacher require the children to make 
a careful preparation before having them write. Some 
authorities go so far as to advocate the actual committing 
to memory of the short story, besides the preliminary drill 
in spelling and the use of some form of outline. This is 
the way the Greeks and Romans became so proficient in 
the use of their mother tongue. They read some of their 
simple classics, with good natural expression ; they com- 
mitted them to memory; they studied the spelling of the 
difficult words, and then reproduced the selections in writ- 
ing. Were we to benefit by their example we should 
spend considerable time in the third and fourth grades in 
having pupils read the best folk-lore stories, fables and 
other stories, aloud, discuss them, commit them to memory 
and then reproduce them in writing, and compare them 
with the originals. 

But sooner or later, in these lower grades, a higher phase 
of story writing should be introduced. When pupils can 
tell a story well orally, which they may have learned from 
their reader or their teacher, and a brief study recitation 
has been given in teaching them to spell difficult or unusual 
words, in syllabicating words, and possibly writing certain 
phrases and quotations that appear in the story, the pupils 
are in a position not only to clothe thoughts in beautiful 
words, but these thoughts are apt to awaken other thoughts 
and feelings and thus make for freedom in writing. The 
pen sharpens thought, develops new ideas, and awakens the 
activity of the soul in a pleasant and beneficial way. The 
written exercise in which the content is furnished, and only 
the form is to be supplied, may result in the pupils' pro- 



104 MODERN METHODS 

ducing compositions which are a mixture of what is remem- 
bered and what is furnished by their own thoughts. 

DO NOT INTERFERE WITH PUPILS 

When pupils begin to write, the teacher should remain in 
the background. She should not interfere with the pupil's 
train of thought by talking. If it becomes necessary to 
assist individual pupils, it should be done in a way not to 
interfere with the work of the class. Usually it should be 
possible for pupils to complete the writing of a composition 
in one recitation period. The fault to be found with early 
composition work is not that pupils are required to write 
too much, but rather that not enough time is devoted to the 
preliminary preparation, and so dawdling and halting work 
must be tolerated during the writing. 

PENMANSHIP 

Legibility in penmanship should be insisted upon, but 
nothing more. Penmanship is but an incident to written 
composition, and should not receive undue attention. The 
pupil's thought should be centered more on the subject 
matter and the construction of sentences, and less on the 
forms of the letters. Rapid writing should be encouraged. 
The labored drawing of letters which so often passes for 
writing should be banished entirely. It bears repetition 
that while we should aim at the ideal, perfection either 
in composition or in penmanship can not be reached by 
children. 

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION 

Freedom of expression must ever be the keynote. Spon- 
taneity, so essential to fluent expression, must not be sacri- 
ficed by the desire to secure finished compositions. Growth 



LANGUAGE 105 

in choice of language should not be of the hothouse variety. 
Forms of expression that do violence to the simple, child- 
like disposition should be excluded. 

The story is the easiest form of expression, and should 
constitute the fundamental work in written composition in 
the third, fourth and fifth grades. If at all possible, pupils 
should write a short composition each day, based on a story 
found in the reader or furnished by the teacher. A little 
at a time but at frequent and regular intervals should be 
the maxim in these grades in language. The compositions 
may be written in school or, if proper preparation has been 
made in school, they may be written at home. 

ORIGINAL COMPOSITION WORK 

While some attempts at original composition work may 
be undertaken in the third, fourth and fifth grades, it must 
not be forgotten that so long as spelling seriously interferes 
with this work, it is best to limit the composition work very 
largely to themes in which both subject matter and form 
are given. A still higher phase of written reproduction of 
stories results in having pupils ring changes in the story 
by supposing each person occurring in the story told it as 
though he had actually experienced it, or by having a sup- 
posed observer tell the story. 

But certain original work may be undertaken in these 
grades, in the form of composite compositions. The first 
five grades of the elementary school may be considered the 
preparatory stage in which certain mechanical proficiencies 
are reached by the pupils, so that the work in the last three 
years may face the needs of life. Spelling and penman- 
ship should, to a large degree, be mastered by this time. 
This makes it possible for the work in composition to show 
individuality both as to form and expression. 



106 MODERN METHODS 

TOPICAL RECITATIONS RELATED TO COMPOSITION WORK 

Beginning with the sixth grade, the knowledge side of 
the various branches also becomes more pronounced, and 
thus a new phase of composition work is opened up. While 
the knowledge subjects contributed a definite amount of 
composition work, from the third grade on, their use was 
limited very largely to oral work. In the sixth, seventh 
and eighth grades, the topical recitation in reading, geog- 
raphy, history, nature work, library reading and physiology 
becomes important as a training in composition, if clearness 
of thought and logical sequence in the arrangement of what 
is presented are properly emphasized. 

THE USE OF OUTLINES 

An outline may be used as a prop for a time, but sooner 
or later the oral presentation should be free. Pupils will 
be willing to talk on a subject or topic rather than write, 
because they know that in the oral presentation mistakes 
and repetitions are not so severely handled by the teacher 
as in the written composition. The struggle to express his 
ideas has a special charm for the average pupil, and every 
success strengthens his self-reliance and encourages him 
to achieve better success in future efforts. But in these 
topical recitations the teacher should guard against mere 
reproduction of the subject matter. The best results are 
secured by having the children recast the material; that 
is, think it through from a dift'erent angle. Now, if after 
such oral presentations there follows a written reproduc- 
tion of certain units, it would be strange indeed if power 
and skill in written expression were not developed. 



LANGUAGE 107 

COMPOSITIONS SHOULD GROW OUT OF LIVING SPEECH 

Written compositions are often weak and lacking in 
smoothness and directness. This may be due to the fact 
that it is difficult to keep the mechanical execution abreast 
of the flow of thought, but more often it is because pupils 
are not in the habit of considering written expression as 
living speech. If pupils were impressed with the thought 
that written exercises grow out of living speech, greater 
freedom, fluency and force would characterize them. 

COMPOSITIONS SHOULD BE SHORT 

Pupils should not be required to write long compositions 
even as a result of regular class work. Nor should they 
be asked too early to work out thought problems in writ- 
ing. To have pupils work out problem questions in the 
various branches before penmanship and spelling have 
become automatic, would be like asking a person to do good 
thinking while lifting a hundred-pound weight. 

BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY 

The oral biographical work will furnish excellent mate- 
rial for written composition, but rarely should pupils be 
called upon to write an entire biographical story. They 
should choose favorite topics which will enable them to 
limit their compositions to single-page productions. A 
very good example is to have a class in history or geog- 
raphy write twenty minutes on any subject selected by the 
pupils, relating to the work gone over in class during the 
previous week. 

The writing of summaries in history and geography is 
highly instructive if done in the right spirit. It is so natu- 
ral for the mind to concern itself with interesting details, 



108 MODERN METHODS 

it is so difficult to sum up a chapter or topic by a few well- 
written paragraphs, that exercise in the latter leads to 
power of generalization and concentration. 

SUBJECTS FOR ORIGINAL THEME WRITING 

Original theme writing should begin to be emphasized 
in the sixth grade. It should be based largely on what 
children have experienced or learned, or that which the 
imagination, backed by knowledge or experience, can read- 
ily suggest. The practice that obtained years ago of hav- 
ing pupils write compositions on subjects beautiful in name 
but entirely beyond them, is happily gone. The little four- 
teen- or fifteen-year-old no longer essays to write on 
What I Can Do to Rejuvenate the World, or The Muta- 
bility of Human Riches. Teachers have come to realize 
that the subjects for compositions must be within the expe- 
rience or comprehension of the pupils, and that if a subject 
demands little reflection but much looking up, it is not 
appropriate. 

School life, life on the street, at home, life in the field, 
forest and streams, holidays, excursions and observa- 
tions constitute fruitful themes for original compositions. 
Expression is natural to children. They like to talk about 
what they know, have seen or heard, or about what they 
think. When once the early storms of written composi- 
tion have been successfully weathered, they will enjoy 
equally well putting their thoughts in writing. The pupils, 
however, should not be expected to exhaust a subject. 
They should select a unit of what occurred in a brief 
period of time, and in their writing limit themselves to 
that. 



LANGUAGE 109 

SECURING FREEDOM 

Written composition demands clearer thinking than oral 
composition. Lack of practice in writing often makes 
children fearful of making mistakes, of exposing weak- 
nesses hitherto not disclosed. Volubility often ceases when 
the stage of "I take my pen in hand" is reached. It should 
be the purpose of the teacher to provide the conditions that 
will secure the best results. Children should be led to 
appreciate the fact that their thoughts are of interest, espe- 
cially if they are cast in an attractive form, and that when 
they have chosen a subject and thought it through, they 
should revel in the freedom of composition. 

SUGGESTIVE TOPICS 

It may be advisable to prepare a series of topics from 
which pupils are to select their subjects for compositions, 
but unless the teacher feels sure that the topics suggested 
offer sufficient variety for the class, permission should be 
given to select any other topic, suggested possibly by those 
given by the teacher or the book. 

Pupils should be permitted at times to indulge their 
inherent capacity for depicting the humorous or ridiculous. 
Life is not always serious. It has its humorous, often its 
comic, features to relieve its monotony and restore its 
elasticity. A teacher who also suggests topics other than the 
conventional ones will find herself in sympathy with her 
pupils and will thereby stimulate them to greater efforts. 

How Casey Made a Double Home Run was a subject 
a teacher asked her pupils to write on. It did not suggest 
much content until she analyzed it as follows : 

1. The last half of the ninth inning, with Casey at bat. 

2. The testy old man in the neighboring field. 



110 MODERN METHODS 

3. How Casey "met" the ball and how it soared over the 
fence and struck the old man. 

4. Casey's "double home run." 

With the outline before them the boys were ready to 
write. They pictured the composition with their mind's 
eye, and the individuality and originality of handling it 
gave evidence of the fact that they were on a familiar foot- 
ing with it. They put joy into their work, and whenever 
that is done, it goes without saying that the work is well 
done. 

PURPOSE OF COMPOSITION IN GRAMMAR GRADES 

During the last few years of the elementary school, the 
instruction in language must be so shaped by the teacher 
that she is depended upon less and less by her pupils. The 
wise teacher, too, will realize that she must exercise care 
not to interfere with the free and natural development of 
the language power of her pupils. She reaHzes that quiet, 
imperceptible forces are ever at work shaping the thought 
and its expression into language in an unknown and uncon- 
scious but forceful way. 

SPECIAL AIMS OF THE TEACHER 

Her principal work will consist in urging the boys and 
girls to do their best. She realizes that speech reflects the 
soul and hence possesses character. She will do what she 
can to cause pupils to realize that they should possess not 
a weak, enervated speech, but a speech, both oral and 
written, that is hearty, convincing, full of good sense, 
truth and definite ideas, and that a good style will come, 
if it comes at all, not through a conscious attempt at fine 
writing, but as the result of fine thinking and fine speaking. 



CHAPTER VIII 

LETTER WRITING AND TELEGRAMS 
WHY LETTER WRITING APPEALS TO CHILDREN 

Letter writing is a form of composition that appeals to 
all children. They see a reason for it. Their fathers and 
mothers write letters, and consciously or unconsciously it is 
impressed upon the children that letter writing is an essen- 
tial element in their education. While other forms of com- 
position may be looked upon as tasks to be accomplished 
because set by the teacher, letter writing can be made a 
pleasure, particularly if freedom of choice as to subject 
matter is allowed. Pupils should write real letters to real 
persons and mail every one, if that be possible. 

A FORM OF WRITTEN COMPOSITION 

Strictly speaking, letter writing offers little that is new, 
with the exception of the form, for a letter may be a narra- 
tion, an exposition, a description, or partake of the nature 
of all three forms of expression. If children have mas- 
tered the mechanics of penmanship, and have had training 
in oral and written English, letter writing will offer no 
difficulties to them. 

NATURALNESS 

Since a letter is a written communication addressed to a 
person at a distance, it contains what the writer might have 
said personally to the recipient of the letter. In no form 
of composition does the suggestion, be natural and write 

111 



112 MODERN METHODS 

as you talk, apply so forcibly as in letter writing. The 
character and form of the letter should harmonize with the 
content. The style of a letter is modified by the fact that 
the letter is written to a stranger or casual acquaintance, 
to the teacher or to a fellow classmate, to an old man or 
woman, or a young boy or girl, to a friend that is well or 
to one that is ill, to a friend that has cause for happiness 
or one to whom grief or misfortune has come. 

RELATION TO THEME WRITING 

The propensity to talk about themselves is very marked 
in children and presents a fine opportunity for developing 
power in original composition work. They are anxious to 
talk and write about what concerns themselves, their per- 
sonal experiences, occurrences at home, their friends, play- 
mates, their holidays, vacation doings, and a host of other 
things, all of which can be made to contribute to the idea 
of freely expressing their own thoughts in their own way, 
which is one of the highest aims in education. 

LETTER WRITING IN PRIMARY GRADES 

Beginning with the first or second grade, notes of a 
few lines may be written. This work, however, is nec- 
essarily of such an elementary nature that it may be 
passed by in this discussion. In the third grade the 
informal and friendly letters should be taught by means 
of models. The models should be real letters treating of 
subject matter that appeals to children, and couched in 
language not much above the plane of the child. The 
practice of using letters written by eminent writers to 
their children or little friends as a basis for teaching chil- 
dren elementary notions of what letters should contain is 
questionable, to say the least. The letters that are to serve 



LANGUAGE 113 

as models should be, first of all, children's letters. They 
should be childlike without being childish. The model 
letters should be of a proper length. Children in the fourth 
grade have, presumably, done a fair amount of written 
composition work and will write letters of more than three 
or four lines. The model letter should recognize this fact 
and be of reasonable length. 

USE OF MODEL LETTERS 

Many models of letters should be introduced. The 
informal letters to friends or playmates, to parents, brothers 
and sisters, teachers and relatives, and the formal letters 
of invitation and acceptance, congratulation, sympathy and 
many others, should be illustrated by model letters which 
pupils should study with a view to imitating them. 

MECHANICS OF LETTER WRITING 

Naturally much attention should be devoted at the very 
outset to the mechanics of letter writing. If the placing 
of the heading, the salutation, the body, the close, the 
matter of indentation, the writing of the address, the 
placing of the stamp and the numerous other little things 
that go to make up a tasty form are rigidly attended to 
in the beginning, slovenly habits will not be formed. 

BUSINESS LETTERS IN UPPER GRADES 

In the upper grades letter writing must be made as prac- 
tical as possible. While the friendly letter will continue 
to be used, the business letters should receive most atten- 
tion. Pupils should be taught the essentials of good busi- 
ness letters by studying models to be imitated. Then by 
giving them frequent opportunities to write real letters to 
real friends and business men, the importance and prac- 



1 14 MODERN METHODS 

tical value of letter writing will appeal to them, and theme 
writing in the guise of letters will be accepted as a matter 
of course and the purpose of written composition be real- 
ized. 

TELEGRAMS 

A telegram should be brief, but not so brief as to be 
misleading. The meaning to be conveyed must be clear, 
even though it becomes necessary to use a few extra words. 
Since there is a fixed rate for messages containing from 
one to ten words no telegram need be condensed to less 
than ten words. Before sending a telegram it should be 
reread to see whether it conveys the exact thought you 
have in mind. 

Blanks for telegrams are furnished by the telegraph 
companies. Usually the title, salutation and complimentary 
close used in letters are omitted in writing telegrams. 

INFORMAL OR FRIENDLY LETTERS 

Milwaukee, Dec. 26, 1912. 
Dear Edward: 

I wish you could have been with us last 
night to see our tree all lit up and to see the pretty presents 
we got. I think this is the best Christmas I ever had. At 
six o'clock mamma sent us children upstairs to wait there 
until she would call us. The time seemed awfully long, 
I tell you. But at last we were called. We rushed down 
and when we got into the parlor we did not know what to 
look at first. Everything looked so pretty. Mamma and 
papa had put up holly everywhere, and the tree had a new 
angel at the top, and all around were the presents. The 
best present I got is my sled. She is a beauty. Papa 
says he does not like Christmas without a great deal of 



LANGUAGE 115 

noise. So he got me a drum. Well, I think I can give 
him some noise. From mamma I got Robinson Crusoe, 
a blue necktie and a pair of slippers. Marie gave me a 
pair of gold cuff buttons. Now I want you to write me 
very soon and tell me about your Christmas and the pres- 
ents you got. 

Your friend, 

Henry Jones. 

Read that part of the letter which tells where it was 
written. Read what tells when it was written. Observe 
where the place and the date are written and the punctua- 
tion marks that are used. To whom is the letter written? 
This part is called the salutation. Observe where the 
salutation is placed. What punctuation mark is put after 
the salutation? Sometimes a comma is used instead of 
a colon. 

Who wrote the letter? Notice where the name Henry 
Jones is placed. This part is called the signature of the 
letter. The part which precedes the signature is called the 
complimentary close. Henry might have used the com- 
plimentary close, Your chum, or Yours truly, instead of 
Your friend. Observe where the close and the signature 
are placed and what punctuation marks are used. 

The part between the salutation and the close is called 
the body of the letter. Why is the letter interesting? 
What tells you that Henry enjoyed writing the letter? 

Henry Jones stamp 

315 State St., 
Milwaukee, Wis. 

Edward Brown 

Waldo 

Wis. 



116 MODERN METHODS 

Where is the stamp placed ? Why should it always be 
placed there? Was a one-cent stamp or a two-cent stamp 
used? What punctuation marks are used in the address? 
Why did Henry Jones write his name and address in the 
left-hand upper corner of the envelope? 

If a letter is addressed to a person living in a village 
or a small city the county is sometimes inserted in the 
address. 

Write an answer to the above letter telling Henry Jones 
about your presents and how you spent your Christmas. 
Make your letter interesting. Write to him as though 
you were talking to him. 

The girls in the class may write to a girl friend. 

Be careful to write the place and date, the salutation, 
the close and the signature legibly and correctly. 

Dear Mamma: ^"^ ^"^eles, Cal., Jan. 23. 1913. 

At last I've had my wish. I've had an 
automobile ride. There is nothing like an automobile ride. 
And now I must tell you all about it. At seven o'clock 
last night we heard a horn blow in front of our house 
and Ethel and I at once knew it was Uncle John come to 
take us out in his new automobile. We climbed in in a 
hurry and away we went. You can't sit still at first. 
You hop up and down on the seat and sway from side to 
side when you turn the corners. We sometimes went so 
fast that we could hardly bow to our friends when we 
passed them. We were not a bit afraid. It was the best 
ride I ever had. Mamma, do hurry up and get here as 
soon as you can. I want to see you very much. You 
know I have been gone a whole week. 
Your loving little 
Helen 



LANGUAGE 117 

North Bend, April 6, 1913. 
Friend James: 

Next Monday evening at seven o'clock a 
number of boys are going to meet at our house to talk 
over forming a baseball club. The boys desire you to 
become a member of the team and hope you will be present 
at the meeting. 

Yours truly, 

Sam Newman. 

What is the purpose of the meeting? Why should the 
purpose be clearly stated? Is the information with ref- 
erence to the time and place of the meeting stated definitely? 
Why do you suppose Sam Newman says, ''The boys desire 
you to become a member of the team" and not "I desire you 
to become a member of the team" ? 



Houston, Texas, May 26, 1913. 
Dear Alice: 

Our sewing-club met at our house yesterday. 
We missed you very much. I hemmed towels for mamma. 
The last time our club met I hemmed both ends of a towel, 
but this time I did not finish one end. Winifred is sewing 
a doll's dress. When I finish my towels I'll make a dress 
for my new doll. 

We chose a president yesterday. She's a very nice girl 
and her name is Alice. Now do you know who she is ? We 
meet at Ethel's next time. Won't you write a letter and 
send it to Ethel in time for the next meeting? The girls 
all send their love to you, and want you to come home soon. 

Your friend, 

Ruth. 



118 MODERN METHODS 

St. Louis, Mo., 
June 30, 1913. 
Dear PYank: 

Yesterday we had the big show in our barn. 
You missed it, I tell you, by not being there. Jack was 
the skeleton and Jimmie the fat man. You had to pay 
extra to see them. Billy was the clown. He looked so 
funny. His mother had made him a suit, half red and 
half green, and his face was painted blue and white until 
you'd hardly know it was Billy. 

Papa let us charge only a penny, but we made fifty-eight 
cents — that's ten cents for each of us stars and eight 
cents for Jack and Jimmie. 

But I haven't told you half enough about the show. We 
had a lemonade stand in the back yard but we made only 
seven cents on the lemonade. We did not sell much. 1 
guess it wasn't strong enough. The tricks we performed 
were wonderful. Uncle Joe applauded the loudest. We 
are going to have another show in a week and we want 
you to join us. When are you coming? 
Your friend, 

Robert. 

Blue Island, 111., 
July 28, 1913. 
Dear Edward : 

We arrived home safely Sunday noon. 
Thursday Phyllis and I went to the park with our lunch. 
After lunch we started out on the sprinkling wagon. It 
began to rain, so we went and got one of the gardener's 
umbrellas. Then we went out again. It began to pour 
so hard that the sprinkling wagon came in. We started 
to run to the office, and just then a puff of wind turned 



LANGUAGE 119 

our umbrella inside out. We got wet but we had to 
laugh. Soon the rain stopped, the sun came out and we 
ate our lunch in the park after all. 

The other day Margaret was up here all day. We went 
over to my uncle's barn and jumped from the hay loft 
down into the place where the horse eats. 

Yesterday we went to my Aunt Charlotte at Morgan 
Park for supper. After supper my Cousin Richard sent 
up a big kite with a Japanese lantern tied to it. It looked 
very pretty up there. 

Is that "mother still chasing her boy 'round the room" ? 

Mother said she was going to write to your mother. 
Tell Gertrude I am going to write her. Grandma sends 
her love to you all and so does mother. 
Your friend, 
Marie. 



Cottage Waldheim, Big Lake, Wis. 
Aug. 23, 1913. 
Dear Frances, 

You should have been with us last night! 
The event of the season happened, and that was a marsh- 
mallow toast. Imagine a background of pines and dark- 
ness, — not city darkness, but darkness of the real kind — 
and then the monstrous bonfire with us all around it. My ! 
it was romantic. But I shall begin at the beginning and 
follow a definite course in telling you of this event. 

Saturday morning the boys rowed over to Spider Lake, 
a row of about six miles, and bought hundreds of marsh- 
mallows. To be sure they weren't so very fresh, but what 
can one expect out in the wilderness? We locked them 
up in an old writing desk down in the clubhouse, and. 



120 MODERN METHODS 

Frances, strange though it may seem, no one tampered 
with the lock. 

When evening came we all went out on the lake and 
rowed until half past eight, then we met in the hollow 
between our cabin and the next one. Here the "tribe" 
had gathered together a large pile of wood and brush. 

Soon our fire was burning. We all joined hands, and 
danced around it — regular whooping, yelling Indians. 
Then when the flames died down and only coals were left, 
we toasted the marshmallows. The fun lasted as long 
as the marshmallows did, and then came some of the 
"homy" cozy kind of enjoyment. We sat around the fire 
in groups and sang college songs and good old German 
melodies. And yet it was a bit lonesome for a while — 
not lonesome exactly, but quiet, you know. Then with a 
"Good-night, Ladies," the party broke up and we went to 
our cabins. And that was the end of our toast. But we 
intend to have another soon. 

I shall expect a letter every time the mail comes, for you 
know the agreement. 

Lovingly yours, 

Gertrude. 



LETTERS OF INVITATION 

Houston, Dec. 2, 1912. 
Dear Elsie: 

I am going to have a party next Wednesday 
afternoon, and I want you to be sure to come. I have 
a new play room, and I hope you will enjoy it with me and 
my friends at the party. 

Your friend, 

Martha. 



LANGUAGE 121 

Houston, Dec. 4, 19 12. 
Dear Martha: 

I just received your kind invitation to come 
to your party next Wednesday afternoon. Surely I'll be 
there. I am so glad you have a new play room for your 
party. I am sure it is very pretty and I very much want 
to see it. 

Your friend, 

Elsie. 



Houston, Dec. 5, 1912. 
Dear Martha: 

I am very sorry that I cannot accept your 
kind invitation to your party next Wednesday afternoon. 
I leave tonight for a week's stay at my grandmother's. I 
should very much like to be with you, for I know you are 
going to have a good time. I shall see you as soon as I 
get back. 

Your friend, 

Bessie. 



The first of the above letters is an invitation to attend 
a party. The second is a letter accepting the invitation 
and the third a letter declining the invitation. 

Mention some of the things that Martha holds out as 
an inducement to Elsie to come to the party. What sen- 
tence particularly shows that the invitation is a hearty 
one? 

What sentence in the second letter is a direct answer to 
Martha's "Now be sure to come"? What does Elsie look 
forward to most? 



122 MODERN METHODS 

BUSINESS LETTERS 

Pine Ridge, Mo., Jan. 3, 1913. 
The Walter Lowney Co., 

Boston, Mass. 
Dear Sirs : 

Enclosed find fifteen cents in stamps, for which 
please send me a can of Lowney's Breakfast Cocoa, trial 
size. Please send me also a copy of the Lowney Receipt 
Book. I read your advertisement in the St. Nicholas Mag- 
asine. 

Yours truly, 

Richard Munson. 



630 Broadfield Ave., 
New Orleans, La., Sept. 3, 191 3. 
Messrs. Hudson & Stark Bros., 
116 Adams St., 
New Orleans, La. 
Dear Sir: 

I desire to apply for a position as office boy in 
your store, or for any other position which may be vacant 
and which can be filled by a boy. 

I am fifteen years of age. I graduated last June from 
the 13th district school, of which Mr. John Lawrence is 
the principal. He has' prornised to answer any inquiries 
in regard to my health and qualifications which you may 
wish to make. His address is 346 Spring St. 

Yours respectfully, 

Oliver Winton. 



LANGUAGE 123 

FORMAL INVITATIONS AND REPLIES 

Miss Laura Jackson requests the pleasure of Miss 
Osborne's company at dinner, Saturday, September tenth, 
at six o'clock. 

342 Wilson St. 



Miss Mabel Osborne accepts with pleasure Miss Jack- 
son's kind invitation to dinner, Saturday, September tenth, 
at six o'clock. 

497 Park Place, 
September ninth. 



Miss Mabel Osborne regrets that a previous engage- 
ment makes it impossible for her to accept Miss Jackson's 
kind invitation to dinner, Saturday, September tenth. 

497 Park Place, 
September ninth. 



ILLUSTRATIVE TELEGRAMS 

Suppose your father, Charles Morris, lives at 243 Prairie 
Avenue, St. Paul, Minn. You are visiting friends in Red 
Wing, Minn., and are expected home August 8 on the 
train leaving Red Wing at 5 130 p. m. You missed your 
train and are obliged to stay over until the following morn- 
ing. You expect to leave on the 8:15 train. 

The following will illustrate the message as it might 
appear on the telegram blank: 



124 MODERN METHODS 

Red Wing, Minn., Aug. 8, 19 13. 
Charles Morris, 
243 Prairie Ave., 
St. Paul, Minn. 
Missed train. Will leave at 8:15 tomorrow. 

Henry Morris. 

Alliance, O., Aug. 9, 19 13. 
Dear Mother: 

Grandma has just made up her mind to visit 
you while I am here and can take care of the house. She 
intends to leave here tomorrow on the 1:15 p. m. train, 
which gets to Canton at 2 o'clock. She wants you to meet 
her at the station. I am having a fine time. 
Your loving daughter, 

Emmy. 



If a telegram had been sent instead of a letter it might 
have read as follows : 



Mrs. Mary Pratt, 
Canton, O., 

Grandma leaves tomorrow 1 115 p. m. train. 
Meet at station. Emmy. 



CHAPTER IX 

CORRECTION OF COMPOSITIONS 
GENERAL SUGGESTIONS 

The correction of compositions is always both a delicate 
and laborious task. It is so easy to interfere with the 
spontaneous efforts of pupils by mutilating beyond recog- 
nition their bold though rough and grammatically faulty 
productions, that there may be truth in the saying, ''The 
school is sometimes the place where pebbles are polished 
and diamonds are dimmed." 

And yet compositions must be corrected — but not all 
of them. We do not always correct pupils in their oral 
compositions. We realize that many mistakes made today 
will naturally be shed tomorrow. *Ts them the trickers?" 
asked a little six-year-old boy one day when he saw a 
number of gymnasts issue from their dressing room. Can 
you conceive of a sentence of four words containing more 
mistakes than this question? Though he made most gro- 
tesque statements in his early efforts at expression, they 
have mostly all disappeared. And so it is with mistakes 
in written composition. We learn to write by writing. 
With much practice in writing, it is safe to say, there would 
follow constant improvement in ability to express thought. 

DIRECTIONS TO PUPILS 

Occasional talks to the pupils on the necessity of their 
learning to write good English, together with general direc- 
tions for improving their compositions, will often result 
in the disappearance of a host of little mistakes, annoying 
to both teacher and pupils. 

125 



126 MODERN METHODS 

Pupils should be encouraged to think through a subject 
even to the extent of preparing an outline, but they should 
also be impressed with the idea that when once the writing 
is begun, thoughts must be permitted to flow naturally 
without undue attention to their arrangement. This will 
insure naturalness and spontaneity, though at the possible 
sacrifice of some artificial rules of rhetoric. 

As a rule, pupils should be allowed to correct and copy 
compositions which are to be submitted to the teacher. 
If the teacher is reasonably certain that a composition does 
not represent the best efforts of the pupil, it should be 
returned to him for improvement. 

PURPOSES OF CORRECTIONS 

The corrections and comments made by the teacher have 
a twofold purpose. They are made to assist the pupil in 
his efforts at self-criticism, and they reveal to the teacher 
whether his instruction has been successful or not.. Written 
work should be examined with painstaking care but with a 
kindly feeling for pupils. Not every mistake, except it 
be in spelling, should be marked. The power of pupils to 
produce faultless compositions grows slowly. The weaker 
pupils should be dealt with more leniently than the bright 
pupils. The system of marks used in the correction of 
compositions should be uniform in all classes of a school. 

Many mistakes in written work furnish evidence that 
the work was too difficult, that the preparation was not suffi- 
cient, or that the desire to do good work was lacking on 
the part of the class. In any such case, the assignment 
of the task was a mistake. It is essential to good work 
that the teacher cultivate a good spirit on the part of the 
pupils to the end that they will put forth their best efforts. 
This will result in fewer mistakes being made by the pupils. 



LANGUAGE * 127 

SUGGESTIVE CORRECTIONS 

Many of the corrections made by the teacher should be 
suggestive in character. Pupils should be thrown upon 
their own resources, provided these are not represented 
by an "empty well." If a passage is particularly good or 
shows effort on the part of the pupil, it is a good plan to 
make a marginal note to that effect. It will serve as an 
incentive to better effort. 

oELF-CRITICISM 

At times it may be advisable to have a pupil write his 
composition on the blackboard, and have the pupils, under 
the direction of the teacher, point out the merits and the 
faults. In this way the spelling, punctuation, thought and 
style may be criticized and improved, and the pupils be 
led to appreciate the necessity of being self -critical in all 
they undertake to do. 

ILLUSTRATIVE EXERCISES 
THE LIFE OF A NEWSBOY 

I have been a newsboy for nearly three years and can asure you 
I know the life he goes through in his youth. It is the same in 
carrying or selling papers in the morning as in the evening, I 
carry morning papers and sell the Sunday papers on Sunday Morn- 
ings. In the morning when you are real tired and the wind is 
blowing and you can feel its about twenty-two below zero out of 
doors you wish that you could stay in bed but when you think 
of your spending money depending upon wether you get up or 
not you choose to get up. After you have gotten your papers you 
start out with your mind on the profits. 

Now you go along the street calling out "Morning papers." Some 
people you get a cross aneswer and from some you get a pleasant 
aneswer. When a man gives you a dime for a paper you tell 
every newsboy you meet. When your days career is ended you go 



128 MODERN METHODS 

to the news dealer and pay up and looking over your change (and) 
to see whether you have a cent over to buy a bun for who wouldn't 
be hungry. 

Suppose the above composition, which was written by 
a pupil in a seventh grade, were placed upon the black- 
board. The following directions and questions would 
serve to indicate how it could be made the basis of teaching 
pupils to be self-critical in correcting and improving their 
own compositions. 

Spell correctly the words in the above composition that 
are not spelled correctly. Consult a dictionary if necessary. 

Read the first paragraph. Read it again, omitting the 
second and third sentences. Would it improve the com- 
position if the sentences were omitted? Why? 

Should the fourth sentence be divided into two sentences ? 
If the sentence is to stand as written what punctuation 
marks should be introduced? What part of this sentence 
do you like best? 

Would it be better to begin the second paragraph with 
the last sentence of the first paragraph? Give reasons for 
or against it. 

Would the sentence beginning with *'Now" be improved 
if the word ''Now" were omitted? Should ''morning" be 
capitalized ? Why ? 

Read orally the sentence beginning with the word "Some." 
Does it sound right or wrong? If it is wrong, correct it. 

Try to improve the next sentence. 

Suggest a more appropriate word than "career." 

Divide the last sentence into two sentences. Read the 
last sentence using the expression "can afford" in place of 
"have a cent over." Does that express the thought of the 
writer better than he expressed it? What punctuation 
mark should be placed after the word "bun"? 



LANGUAGE 129 

Copy the above composition, and make all necessary 
changes and corrections to improve it. 

DESCRIPTION OF MY FRIEND 

The boy that I am about to describe is five feet tall and thickly 
built. He wears a dark brown suit which harmonizes perfectly 
with his thick, light brown hair. 

His forehead is low and his eyes are large and grey. 

He is very fond of football as his hair suggests. He is also a 
good runner, though few people would think so on seeing him for 
the first time. As a scholar, he is as good at his books as on the 
athletic field. 

Altogether, my friend, with his good looks and disposition, is a 
very amiable companion. 

Can you give an initial sentence other than the one used 
which would be more appropriate? Try to improve on 
the expression "thickly built." Should the third sentence 
constitute a paragraph or be joined to the preceding para- 
graph? Give reasons for your choice. What do the 
words "as his hair suggests" suggest as to the "make up" 
of the boy who wrote this sketch? What thought did 
the writer evidently have in mind when he wrote the last 
sentence of the third paragraph? Change the sentence in 
such a way as to express that thought. Should the last 
sentence constitute a paragraph? 

DESCRIPTION OF A CLASSMATE 

The person which I am about to describe is tall and slender. 
Her hair is quite dark and is tied up with two red ribbons, one 
on top of her head and the other at her neck. Her eyes are blue 
and her complexion fair. Her eyebrows and lashes are light and 
heavy. She generally wears a blue dress trimmed with red and 
M^hite. She is very agreeable when without her little temper which 
does not come very readily. 



130 MODERN METHODS 

In the above description is the word "quite" used cor- 
rectly? Should the word "up" be omitted in the second 
sentence? What meaning do you suppose the last clause 
in the last sentence was intended to convey? Change the 
sentence so as to make the thought clear. 

JERRY, THE TRAMP 

Jerry was a tramp and a very ugly, morose creature he was. 
He was shabbily dressed in a ragged coat, shirt, and pair of pants. 
His face, hands, and bare feet were very dirty. 

Jerry was lazy, — extremely lazy and, from what I knew of him, 
liked nothing better than to loll around in a shady spot and do 
nothing. He hated winter and always contrived to commit some 
petty robbery in the fall so as to be sent to the house of correction 
for six months. 

One morning in late September as Jerry walked over a pasture 
on his way to a farm house, he met the owner in the field. The 
farmer called out cheerily, "Good morning, my friend. Wouldn't 
you like to help me dig my potatoes for a few days? I'll give you 
a dollar a day." 

Jerry groaned as he replied, "I don't think I shall, because, you 
see, I've got the rheumatism and when I work it gets worse." 

He stole a loaf of bread for dinner and walked all afternoon 
toward the city. That evening Jerry fell in with a gang of thieves 
who were planning a large robbery. When the thieves went to the 
scene of the robbery, they found a squad of detectives present and 
the gang was arrested. 

Instead of being sent to jail for six months, as Jerry wanted 
to be, he was sent to the penitentiary for two years. 

Suggest a better word than "creature" in the first sen- 
tence. Give a reason for omitting the word "shabbily." 
Should the word "trousers" be used instead of "pants"? 
Should the word "bare" be omitted? Why? Improve the 
punctuation of the first sentence of the second paragraph. 
Does "and do nothing" add strength to the sentence ? Show 
that in the above, description and narration are combined. 



CHAPTER X 

CRITICAL STUDY OF SELECTIONS AS MODELS OF 

STYLE 

PURPOSE 

It has come to be recognized that at some stage of the 
instruction in English a careful study of literary selections 
should be made as models of style. Pupils should be made 
conscious of the beauty, strength and clearness of the sen- 
tences which enter into the paragraph or selection under 
discussion, of their arrangement in the paragraph, and of 
the words or phrases that make the transition from para- 
graph to paragraph smooth and easy. They should be led 
to see that they must place related ideas as closely together 
as possible, that they must work towards a point or climax, 
that this movement must be natural and unbroken, and that 
sentences which interfere with the unity of a paragraph 
must be omitted. 

RESULTS 

If pupils can be made to appreciate the fact that an 
author casts his thoughts in a certain mold advisedly, they 
may be led to study their own productions and apply the 
tests at their disposal, in improving them. Thus gradually 
will be acquired a language sense and a habit of self-criti- 
cism without which progress in English is impossible. We 
must, however, bear in mind that this phase of instruction is 
inexhaustible, and while it may have its modest beginnings 
in the grades it should continue as an integral part of the 
study of English throughout the high school and life. 

131 



132 MODERN METHODS 

ILLUSTRATIVE EXERCISES 
HANS SACHS 

— Adapted from Stories Worth Remembering, American Book 

Company. 

Little Hans Sachs lived at a time when every lad was supposed 
to take up some trade when he had finished his schooling. His 
father was a shoemaker, and at the proper age Hans was appren- 
ticed to a master shoemaker, to study faithfully for three years, 
learning to make and mend every imaginable kind of footwear. 

There were many other apprentices who daily sat on the bench 
with him, and no one suspected Hans of being different from his 
companions. But he was, indeed, very different, for he was a born 
poet and musician. In the daytime he studied shoemaking, to please 
his father; in the evening, to satisfy his own deeper cravings, he 
studied under a very different kind of master — a mastersinger, as 
he was called. 

To become a mastersinger was the great ambition of Hans' life; 
but his duty was to become a master shoemaker. At the end of 
a two years' apprenticeship he asked for his freedom. When the 
other shoemakers in surprise declared that he had still a year in 
which to study his art, his master showed them some work the lad 
had just completed, which was so excellent that Hans was set free, 
receiving, according to the time-honored custom, a violent box on 
the ear from his master. 

Then Hans bade good-by to his parents, and started out, with his 
knapsack on his back, to make his way in the world. He was gone 
a long time, traveling through many places, and meeting with many 
adventures, but when, after many years, he returned to his friends 
at home, he brought with him the wreath he had won by a beau- 
tiful master song. He had obtained the wish of his heart. 

After that Hans Sachs, master shoemaker and mastersinger, lived 
for many a year in Nuremberg, making and mending his townsmen's 
shoes, and also composing songs and poems that uplifted the people's 
hearts. The people of Nuremberg loved Hans Sachs, as well they 
might; for when they were happy, he wrote songs to express their 
joy, and when they were in trouble, he wrote bright, funny plays 
and poems to cheer them up. In joy and in sorrow the people of 



LANGUAGE 133 

Nuremberg turned to the man who was really the soul and spirit 
of the town. He was an exception to the saying that a prophet 
is never honored in his own land, for honors were fairly showered 
upon him, but through it all he remained the simple shoemaker, 
singing his songs out of the fullness of a glad heart. He wrote in 
all no less than 4275 songs and plays, many of which ended in 
some quaint little phrase such as "So says Hans Sachs," or "This 
hopes Hans Sachs." 

A close study of the selection should be made, the pupils 
and teacher working together. The following questions 
may be suggestive : 

What is meant by ''apprenticed to a shoemaker" ? What 
is meant by "to satisfy his own deeper cravings" ? What, do 
you suppose, was a master shoemaker? A mastersinger ? 
What kind of poems are those that ''uplift the people's 
hearts" ? Why could Hans Sachs write such poems ? Why 
did the people of Nuremberg turn to Hans Sachs in joy 
and in sorrow? How did they honor him most, do you 
suppose? With what quaint phrase did he usually end his 
plays and songs? Did the phrases suggest a touch of 
egotism, did they show that he knew the magic of his 
name, or may they be considered as meaning "Perhaps Tm 
mistaken, but that is what I think" ? 

Read the first paragraph. Do the sentences follow each 
other naturally? What is the principal thought in this 
paragraph? Find a sentence or make one which summa- 
rizes the thought contained in each of the succeeding para- 
graphs. 

What word or words in the second paragraph help to 
make the transition from the first paragraph to the second 
easy and smooth? Why, do you suppose, did the writer 
place the prepositional phrase at the beginning of the third 
sentence? Find the word or words in each succeeding 



134 MODERN METHODS 

paragraph that help to make the transition smooth and 
easy. 

Is the first sentence of the third paragraph direct and 
clear? What makes it so? Why is the last sentence the 
climax of the paragraph? Are the sentences of this para- 
graph arranged in such a way as to emphasize this thought ? 

What sentence in the last paragraph do you like best? 
Why? What is there about the selection that causes you 
to enjoy it? 

THE PROUD POPLAR TREE 

Near the bank of a river stood a high poplar tree. It had a 
thousand roots and a trunk so thick that a man could not encircle 
it with his arms. It had a thousand branches with a thousand leaves 
on every branch, and the top was so high that you could hardly see 
it. Therefore the poplar tree was proud and thought itself better 
than the other trees in the field and the forest. But Its pride was 
not to last long. 

A storm was coming up. The heavens became dark, and the 
thunder rolled over the field. The wind shook the proud poplar 
back and forth, scattering its leaves in the air and tearing off the 
small branches. But that was not all. The wind blew fiercer and 
fiercer, the thunder rolled more frightfully, and suddenly the Hght- 
ning descended on the crown of the tree and cleft the large, strong 
trunk from top to bottom, splintering it into a thousand pieces. 

Then the storm scattered the branches and the splinters over the 
entire field so that nothing remained of the beautiful tree except 
a poor stump. 

A STUDY OF THE SELECTION 

The first sentence tells us what the story Is about. It is 
called the topic sentence. What part of this sentence con- 
stitutes the setting for the picture of the high poplar tree? 
What does the next sentence tell us? What does the third 
sentence tell us? Do these sentences follow in a natural 
order? Why did the poplar think itself proud? The last 



LANGUAGE 135 

sentence suggests that something is about to happen. This 
sentence joins the first paragraph to the next. 

Is the first sentence of the second paragraph a topic sen- 
tence? Why? Does the second sentence follow the first 
naturally? What new thought is introduced by the third 
sentence? Why, do you suppose, did the author introduce 
the sentence, "But that was not all" ? Read the paragraph 
omitting this sentence. Do you like the paragraph better 
with or without the sentence? What is the climax in the 
second paragraph? 

What use does the word "then" serve? The last para- 
graph constitutes the conclusion. What does it tell us? 
Why is it a natural conclusion ? 

Read the entire selection aloud. Do the sentences follow 
each other naturally? Is the transition from one to another 
smooth and easy? Select sentences that you like best and 
tell why you like them. 

A paragraph is made up of sentences which relate to the 
same topic. Are the sentences of the first paragraph suffi- 
ciently related in thought to constitute a paragraph ? What 
makes you think so? Is it true of the second paragraph? 
Give your reasons. 

What is meant by "Pride goeth before a fall" ? Why does 
the story suggest this proverb ? 

. THE ROBIN'S SONG 

The Robin's best song is heard about four o'clock or earlier on 
summer mornings. He joins many others of his kind. He joins 
them in calling all the birds in all the trees to the feast. The feast 
is a bountiful feast of insects. It is spread for them. All day 
long their voices may be heard. They are mellow and soulful. 
They may be heard somewhere if we stop to listen. To the coming 
day they call a welcome. To the closing day they call a farewell. 



136 MODERN METHODS 

Many like best to hear them in the morning. Others think their 
sunset songs the sweetest. Whatever the time, their songs are full 
of happiness and contentment. Whatever the weather, in sunshine 
or shadow, their songs are full of happiness and contentment. 

THE ROBIN'S SONG 

— Adapted. 

The Robin's best song is heard about four o'clock or earlier on 
summer mornings, as he joins many others of his kind in calling 
all the birds in all the trees to the bountiful feast of insects then 
spread for them. All day long their mellow, soulful voices may 
be heard somewhere if we stop to listen. To the coming day they 
call a welcome, and to the closing day a farewell. 

While many like best to hear them in the early morning, others 
think their sunset songs the sweetest; but whatever the time, or 
whatever the weather, in sunshine or shadow, their songs are full 
of happiness and contentment. 

Read the above selections aloud. You will observe that 
the thought expressed by each is the same. In which selec- 
tion are the sentences of a choppy nature? In which is 
there greater coherence and smoothness ? In which are the 
words and thoughts often repeated? In which is there 
greater variety of sentence structure? In which selection 
is it difficult to separate the more important sentences from 
the less important ? In which is the sentence structure such 
that the subordinate thoughts are joined to the principal 
thoughts in such a way as to bring out their proper relation ? 
Which selection is the more agreeable to read ? 

OLE BULL 

— Adapted from Stories Worth Remembering, American Book 
Company. 

I. The soul of little Ole Bull had always been attuned to melody, 
from the time when, a toddling boy of four, he had listened with 
passionate delight to the playing of the violin by his uncle. How 



LANGUAGE 137 

happy he was, as he wandered alone through the meadows, listening 
with the inner ear of heaven-born genius to the great song of 
nature. The blue-bells, the buttercups, and the blades of grass 
sang to him in low, sweet tones, unheard by duller ears. How he 
thrilled with delight when he touched the strings of the little red 
violin, purchased for him when he was eight years old. 

2. Ole could not sleep for joy, that first night of ownership; and, 
when the house was wrapped in slumber, he got up and stole on 
tiptoe to the room where the treasure lay. The bow seemed to 
beckon to him, the pretty pearl screws to smile at him out of their 
red setting. "I pinched the strings just a little," he said. "It 
smiled at me ever more and more. I took up the bow and looked 
at it. It said to me it would be pleasant to try it across the strings. 
So I did try it just a very, very little, and it did sing to me so 
sweetly. At first I did play very soft. But presently it did go ever 
louder and louder; and I forgot that it was midnight and that 
everybody was asleep. Presently I hear something crack; and the 
next minute I feel my father's whip across my shoulders. My little 
red violin dropped on the floor, and was broken. I weep much for 
it, but it did no good. They did have a doctor to it next day, but 
it never recovered its health." 

3. He was given another violin, however, and when only ten, he 
would wander into the fields and woods, and spend hours playing 
his own improvisations, echoing the song of the birds, the murmur 
of the brook, the thunder of the waterfall, the soughing of the 
wind among the trees, the roar of the storm. 

4. The great opportunity of his life came to him in Bologna. The 
people had thronged to the opera house to hear Malibran. She 
had disappointed them, and they were in no mood to be lenient to 
the unknown violinist who had the temerity to try to fill her place. 

5. He came on the stage. He bowed. He grew pale under the 
cold gaze of the thousands of unsympathetic eyes turned upon him. 
But the touch of his beloved vioHn gave him confidence. Lovingly, 
tenderly, he drew the bow across the strings. The coldly critical 
eyes no longer gazed at him. The unsympathetic audience melted 
away. He and his violin were one and alone. In the hands of the 
great magician the instrument was more than human. It talked; 
it laughed; it wept; it controlled the moods of men as the wind 
controls the sea. 



138 MODERN METHODS 

6. The audience scarcely breathed. Criticism was disarmed. 
Malibran was forgotten. The people were under the spell of the 
enchanter. Orpheus had come again. But suddenly the music 
ceased. The spell was broken. With a shock the audience returned 
to earth, and Ole Bull, restored to consciousness of his where- 
abouts by the storm of applause which shook the house, found him- 
self famous forever. 

THOUGHT ANALYSIS 

Read the first paragraph. What is the main thought? 
Is it the first part of the first sentence, or is it necessary for 
you to make a sentence which expresses the main thought ? 
Why do you suppose the author began the second and fourth 
sentences of the first paragraph each with the word "How"? 
Do the sentences follow each other naturally ? Is the read- 
ing smooth and easy ? 

What thought in the first sentence of the second para- 
graph is related to a thought in the preceding paragraph? 
Why, do you suppose, did the author use the verbs "did 
try," "did sing," "did play," "did go," instead of "tried," 
"sang," "played," "went"? In the last few sentences the 
author uses verbs in the present tense. Can you give a 
reason for this ? Do these forms add strength and empha- 
sis? How? 

Can you give a reason why the author uses but one long 
sentence in the third paragraph ? What is meant by "improv- 
isations"? Are the words "murmur," "thunder," "sough- 
ing," used appropriately ? What makes you think so ? 

What is the topic sentence of the fourth paragraph? 
Give the thought of this paragraph. 

How is the transition made from the fourth to the fifth 
paragraph? Why did the author use such short sentences 
to introduce the fifth paragraph? Do they suggest rapidity 
of movement? Why did he grow pale? What gave him 



LANGUAGE 139 

confidence? Why did the author put the words "lovingly" 
and "tenderly" first in the sentence in which they are used ? 
What does the sentence "He and his violin were one and 
alone" mean ? Study the last sentence and give reasons for 
the form in which the thought is cast. 

Is the last sentence of the fifth paragraph the climax of 
the selection? May you consider the sentence, "The audi- 
ence scarcely breathed," as the climax ? Why ? The author 
again uses short sentences. Why? What constitutes the 
conclusion ? Is it a natural conclusion ? 

HOW GOOD FORTUNE CAME TO PIERRE 

— Adapted from Stones Worth Remembering, American Book 
Company. 

Many years ago, in a shabby room in one of the poorest streets 
of London, a little golden-haired boy sat singing, in his sweet, 
childish voice, by the bedside of his sick mother. Though faint 
from hunger and oppressed with loneliness, he manfully forced 
back the tears that kept welling up into his blue eyes, and, for his 
mother's sake, tried to look bright and cheerful. But it was hard 
to be brave and strong while his dear mother was suffering for 
lack of the nourishing food which he longed to provide for her, 
but could not. He had not tasted food all day himself. He left 
his place by the invalid, who, lulled by his singing, had fallen into 
a light sleep. As he looked listlessly out of the window, he noticed 
a large poster, which bore, in staring yellow letters, the announce- 
ment that Madame Malibran, one of the greatest singers that ever 
lived, was to sing in public that night. 

Suddenly his face brightened, and the light of a great resolve 
shone 'in his eyes. Running lightly to a little stand that stood at 
the opposite end of the room, with trembling h?.nds he took from 
a tiny box a roll of paper. With a wistful, loving glance at the 
sleeper, he stole from the room and hurried out into the street. 

Timidly the child entered the luxurious -^oartment of the great 
singer, and, bowing before the beautiful, stately woman, he began 
rapidly, lest his courage should fail him : "I came to see you be- 



140 MODERN METHODS 

cause my mother is very sick, and we are too poor to get food and 
medicine. I thought, perhaps, that if you would sing my little 
song at some of your grand concerts, maybe some publisher would 
buy it for a small sum, and so I could get food and medicine for 
my mother." 

Taking the little roll of paper which the boy held in his hand, 
the warm-hearted singer lightly hummed the air. Then, turning 
toward him, she asked, in amazement: "Did you compose it? you, 
a child ! And the words, too ?" Without waiting for a reply, she 
added quickly, "Would you like to come to my concert this eve- 
ning?" The boy's face became radiant with delight at the thought 
of hearing the famous singer, but a vision of his sick mother, lying 
alone in the poor, cheerless room, flitted across his mind, and he 
answered, with a choking in his throat: 

"Oh, yes; I should so love to go, but I couldn't leave my mother." 

"I will send somebody to take care of your mother for the 
evening, and here is a crown with which you may go and get food 
and medicine. Here is also one of my tickets. Come tonight, that 
will admit you to a seat near me." 

Overcome with joy, the child could scarcely express his grati- 
tude to the gracious being who seemed to him like an angel from 
heaven. As he went out again into the crowded street, he seemed 
to tread on air. He bought some fruit and other little delicacies to 
tempt his mother's appetite, and while spreading out the feast of 
good things before her astonished gaze, with tears in his eyes, he 
told her of the kindness of the beautiful lady. 

An hour later, tingling with expectation, Pierre set out for the 
concert. How like fairyland it all seemed ! The color, the daz- 
zling lights, the flashing gems and gHstening silks of the richly 
dressed ladies bewildered him. Ah! could it be possible that the 
great artist who had been so kind to him would sing his little song 
before this brilliant audience? At length she came on the stage, 
bowing right and left in answer to the enthusiastic welcome which 
greeted her appearance. 

A pause of expectancy followed. The boy held his breath and 
gazed spellbound at the radiant vision on whom all eyes were riveted. 
The orchestra struck the first notes of a plaintive melody, and 
the glorious voice of the great singer filled the vast hall, as the 
words of the sad little song of the child composer floated on the 



LANGUAGE 141 

air. It was so simple, so touching, so full of exquisite pathos, 
that many were in tears before it was finished. 

And little Pierre? There he sat, scarcely daring to move or 
breathe, fearing that the flowers, the lights, the music, would vanish, 
and he should wake up to find it all a dream. He was aroused 
from his trance by the tremendous burst of applause that rang 
through the house as the last note trembled away into silence. He 
started up. It was no dream. The greatest singer in Europe had 
sung his little song before a fashionable London audience. Almost 
dazed with happiness, he never knew how he reached his poor 
home ; and when he related the incidents of the evening, his mother's 
delight nearly equaled his own. Nor was this the end. 

Next day they were startled by a visit from Madame Malibran. 
After gently ^greeting the sick woman, while her hand played with 
Pierre's golden curls, she said: "Your little boy, Madame, has 
brought you a fortune. I was offered this morning, by the best 
publisher in London, 300 pounds for his little song; and after he 
has realized a certain amount from the sale, little Pierre here is to 
share the profits. Madame, thank God that your son has a gift 
from heaven." The grateful tears of the invalid and her visitor 
mingled, while the child knelt by his mother's bedside and prayed 
God to bless the kind lady, who, in their time of sorrow and great 
need, had been to them as a savior. 

The boy never forgot his noble benefactress, and years afterward, 
when the great singer lay dying, the beloved friend who smoothed 
her pillow and cheered and brightened her last moments — the rich, 
popular and talented composer — was no other than our little Pierre. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS 

What light does the second sentence of the first paragraph 
throw on the character of the little boy ? Give reasons for 
assuming that the topic sentence is "A little boy sat singing." 
What function is performed by the part of the sentence 
preceding this? 

Why did his face brighten ? What was the great resolve 
that shone in his eyes ? Why did his hands tremble when 
he took the roll of paper? Why did the author use the 
word "wistful" to describe the glance he gave his mother ? 



142 MODERN METHODS 

Why is the word "timidly" appropriately used ? Describe 
the apartment of the great singer. Describe the singer. 

What idea came to the singer immediately after she asked 
the questions, "Did you compose it? You, a child, and the 
words, too?" Was it simply the request to have the boy 
present at the concert ? Why ? Why did she want the boy 
to sit near her? 

Name the things that made the concert appear to Pierre 
like fairyland. 

Mention the qualities of the song that caused many in the 
audience to weep while it was being sung. Were the words 
well chosen ? Why ? What helped the great singer to put 
feeling into the singing of the song? 

Why, do you suppose, does the author begin the ninth 
paragraph with the question, "And little Pierre?" Explain 
how the sentences following this question present a succes- 
sion of pictures that are both natural and realistic. What is 
suggested by the sentence, "Nor was this the end" ? 

Describe the visit of the great singer to the mother of 
little Pierre. What makes you think the great singer was a 
kind woman ? 

What do you consider the conclusion ? Why ? 

Why do you like this selection? Point out some of the 
beautiful sentences and explain how beauty of form natu- 
rally goes with beautiful thoughts and pictures. Read the 
entire selection aloud and observe how the sentences in each 
paragraph naturally suggest succeeding ones, and how each 
paragraph gives a clear and effective picture. Observe how 
one topic follows another without confusion of ideas and 
how all lead up to a grand climax which begins with the 
sentence, "And little Pierre?" The selection is an artistic 
gem and the teacher can well afford to spend a week on it. 



LANGUAGE 143 



KANNITVERSTAN 

A number of years ago a young journeyman shoemaker from 
Germany, in his wanderings, reached Amsterdam, the metropolis 
of Holland. Soon after his arrival in that city of great buildings, 
large ships and busy people, a beautiful mansion caught his eye, 
the Hke of which he had not seen in all his travels. 

For a long time he gazed with admiration at this magnificent 
structure, with its high windows, larger even than the doors in his 
father's house. Finally he could not resist the temptation to 
address a passer-by. "Pardon me," he said, "can you tell me the 
name of the man who owns this beautiful mansion with its windows 
full of tulips and star flowers and orchids?" But the man did not 
understand German and so answered briefly, "Kannitverstan," and 
hurried on. 

Now, "Kannitverstan" was a Dutch word, or rather three, and 
meant "I cannot understand you." But the simple-minded traveler 
thought it was the name of the man about whom he had inquired. 
He thought "Kannitverstan" must be a very wealthy man, and 
passed on. 

After walking about for some time he reached the harbor. There 
he saw so many ships and such a great number of masts that he 
was almost bewildered. Finally his attention was directed to a 
large vessel which had but lately arrived from the East Indies and 
was being unloaded. Already there were rows upon rows of boxes 
and bales on the wharf, which had come from the hold of the vessel, 
and still the men continued to bring out more boxes and bales, 
together with bags of sugar, coffee, rice and pepper. 

After he had looked on a long time he asked a laborer, who 
was hurrying along with a box on his shoulder, to tell him the 
name of the man to whom the ship and all the goods belonged. 
"Kannitverstan," answered the man. 

"Ah," said our young friend, "no wonder Kannitverstan can 
build beautiful houses and have tulips in his windows." 

Then retracing his steps he sadly reflected on his own condition. 
He felt bad to think that there should be such rich people in the 
world, and he so poor. Just as he was hoping that he too might 
sometime enjoy life as this unknown Kannitverstan evidently was 
doing, he turned a corner and came upon a funeral procession. 



144 MODERN METHODS 

The black hearse was drawn by four black horses, walking slowly 
and sadly as though they knew they were taking someone to his 
last resting place. 

A long procession of friends and acquaintances followed the 
hearse on foot. In the distance a bell was tolling. A feeling of 
melancholy took possession of the traveler and he stood with uncov- 
ered head reverently watching the funeral procession move along. 

When the last man was about to pass he ventured to take hold 
of his coat, and in a sorrowful tone said: "The man for whom 
the bell is tolling must have been a good friend of yours, for you 
are so sad and thoughtful." "Kannitverstan," was the answer. 

Tears welled up in the eyes of the young journeyman, and his 
heart became heavy, and then light. "Poor Kannitverstan," he 
called out. "What good does all your wealth do you now? You 
have a shroud, and of all your beautiful flowers perhaps a rosemary 
on your cold breast." 

With these thoughts he accompanied the mourners as though he 
were one of them. He saw the supposed "Kannitverstan" lowered 
into his last resting place, and was more deeply affected by the 
Dutch funeral sermon, not a word of which he could understand, 
than he had been by many a German one. And whenever he felt 
bad, thinking of his poverty, he consoled himself with the thought 
of poor "Kannitverstan" of Amsterdam, his beautiful home, his 
valuable ships and his narrow grave. 

DIRECTIONS FOR TEACHING THE STORY 

Kannitverstan comes from the German, and is considered 
one of the best short stories in German literature. It is a 
humorous story that conveys a moral truth which is often 
ignored in these days of intense commercial strife. 

The humor consists in this, that a young shoemaker, 
rather unsophisticated but thoroughly honest and true- 
hearted, comes to Amsterdam, the first large city that he 
has ever visited, and there meets with singular experiences. 
By considering the Dutch word ''Kannitverstan," which 
means *'l cannot understand you," but whose significance he 
did not appreciate, as the name of a rich burgher of the 



LANGUAGE 145 

city, he falls into various errors in regard to the life of this 
supposed person. 

He is at first astounded at the immensity of Kannitver- 
stan's riches. Then he becomes envious of him and dissatis- 
fied with his own lot. The death of the supposed Croesus 
causes him to reflect upon his own condition, and he becomes 
reconciled to his simple life. 

The interest in the story is enhanced by the fact that after 
the word "Kannitverstan" occurs the first time the pupils are 
virtually in a position to anticipate each succeeding climax. 

While the story suggests a wholesome moral lesson, this 
should not be forced upon the children in a dogmatic way. 
They should be led to discover it for themselves. The 
teacher may come to the assistance of the pupils by means 
of suggestive questions, but these should not be too formal. 
Where pupils have discovered the moral truth, it should not 
be used as a basis for moralizing. The children will con- 
sciously or unconsciously make the application to their own 
lives. 

After the teacher has thoroughly familiarized herself 
with the story, she should tell it to her class, without com- 
ments. She may then ask a pupil to tell it, or she may 
immediately proceed to the thought analysis. 

This thought analysis should, however, not be too search- 
ing ; neither should it consume too much time. 

Questions like the following may be asked : 

Describe the mansion that caught the eye of the young 
traveler in Amsterdam. Why do you suppose he compared 
the windows of the building with the doors in his father's 
house ? What tells you that he liked flowers ? What caused 
the young shoemaker to think that "Kannitverstan" was a 
wealthy man? 

Describe what he saw in the harbor. What is meant by 



146 MODERN METHODS 

the *'hold" of the vessel? What caused the young man to 
be bewildered ? 

The beautiful mansion which the young man saw was evi- 
dence to him that "Kannitverstan" was a very wealthy man. 
The scene in the harbor enlightens him as to how "Kannit- 
verstan" acquired his riches. 

What is meant by "He sadly reflected on his own condi- 
tion" ? What did he hope to be able to do some time ? 

Describe the funeral procession. What makes you think 
the traveler was a religious man? What suggests that the 
answer "Kannitverstan" given to the question he put to the 
mourner should be pronounced in a slow and sad manner ? 

The suggestion of the moral is found in the paragraph 
beginning with "Tears welled up in the eyes of the young 
journeyman and his heart became heavy and then light." 
In discussing the significance of this paragraph and the last 
sentence in the story, the tact and skill of the teacher will 
show itself most. These sentences may not mean the same 
to each pupil. The children should, therefore, be encour- 
aged to give their individual interpretation or version of the 
meaning. As final questions, the teacher may ask, "Should 
the young man have reconciled himself so fully to his lot? 
Should not his experiences have spurred him on to greater 
efforts at improving his condition? Should that, however, 
carry with it envy of the rich?" 

After the thought analysis the pupils should be led to 
divide the story into units. It will be found that there are 
three, suggested by the following : 

1. A young traveler examining a beautiful mansion in 
Amsterdam. 

2. What he sees in the harbor. , 

3. The young man at the funeral of the supposed "Kan- 
nitverstan." 



LANGUAGE 147 

REPRODUCTION BY THE PUPILS 

Pupils should now be ready for the careful reproduction 
of the story. The first reproduction, given immediately 
after the teacher told the story, naturally is more or less 
imperfect. The reproduction made after the thought analy- 
sis, especially if the story is divided into units, and headings 
found for each, will contain few crudities of expression. 
The pupils should be encouraged to tell the story in a free 
and untrammeled way. 

WRITTEN REPRODUCTION OF THE STORY 

When children can tell a story orally they will experience 
little difficulty in writing the story. 

Two things may have to be done to remove certain 
mechanical difficulties that pupils may experience in writing 
the story : 

First, the pupils should learn to spell difficult words and 
phrases, such as "caught his eye," "magnificent struc- 
tures," "almost bewildered," "reflected on his own condi- 
tion," "funeral procession," "melancholy," "accompanied the 
mourner," "deeply affected." 

Secondly, it may not be necessary to drill on all of the 
above. The class teacher, naturally, is the best judge. 
However, if pupils are to be encouraged to improve their 
diction, it may be well to fix not only isolated phrases in 
the minds of pupils, but whole sentences as well; such as, 
"The black hearse was drawn by four black horses, walking 
slowly and sadly as though they knew they were taking 
someone to his last resting place." "In the distance a bell 
was tolling." "You have a shroud, and of all your beauti- 
ful flowers perhaps a rosemary on your cold breast." "His 
beautiful home, his valuable ships and his narrow grave." 



148 MODERN METHODS 

When pupils finally write they should not be handicapped 
by the thought that they must adhere strictly to the words of 
the story. If freedom in composition is to result, they 
should be allowed to introduce changes in the story sug- 
gested by their imagination. 



CHAPTER XI 

COURSE OF STUDY IN LANGUAGE 
FIRST GRADE 
I I. ORAL EXERCISES 

1. Folk-lore stories, myths, fairy tales and other stories to 
be told by the teacher. Many of these should be reproduced 
by the children. This should constitute the basis for most 
of the composition work in this grade. 

2. Conversational exercises based on observations and 
personal experiences of children. While nature study is 
not an integral part of many courses of study for elemen- 
tary schools, teachers will find that much interest can be 
awakened in the study of plants and flowers, birds, insects, 
and all animals whose habits of life may readily be observed. 
The pupils' observation should be directed by the teacher. 

3. Stories and poems read to pupils. 

4. Memory gems, poems and proverbs memorized by 
pupils. 

5. Dramatization of stories. 

6. Simple stories suggested by pictures. 

Note : In all oral work, especially in the primary grades, much 
attention should be devoted to securing proper volume, correct 
pronunciation, distinct enunciation, pure tones and flexibility of the 
voice. 

II. WRITTEN EXERCISES 

I. Each child should learn to write his name and address 
and the name of his teacher. 

149 



150 MODERN METHODS 

2. Copying simple sentences from the blackboard and 
reader. 

3. Copying short selections which have been committed to 
memory. 

4. Writing from dictation sentences previously studied. 

III. LESSONS ON THE MECHANICS OF LANGUAGE 

1. Oral drill exercises to fix correct forms and uses of 
words. 

2. Correction of common errors made by the children. 

3. Use of the period and interrogation point. 

4. A few simple contractions and abbreviations found in 
the reader. 

SECOND GRADE 

I. ORAL EXERCISES 

1. Folk-lore stories, myths, fairy tales, and other stories 
told by the teacher and reproduced by the pupils. Stories 
learned in the first grade should be reviewed. 

2. Telling the story of the reading lesson. 

3. Discussion of observations and personal experienceSi 

4. Poems and stories read to pupils. 

5. Poems and memory gems committed to memory. 

6. Robert Louis Stevenson. The teacher should tell the 
pupils something of the life of Stevenson. Two or three of 
his poems may be committed to memory by the pupils. 
Others may simply be read to them by the teacher. 

7. Dramatization of stories and poems. 

8. Simple stories suggested by pictures. 

II. WRITTEN EXERCISES 

I. Copy short poems or parts of poems that have been 
memorized by the pupils. 



LANGUAGE 151 

2. Dictation of sentences based on the reader previously 
studied. 

3. Writing of original sentences based on conversations 
and nature study. 

4. Writing of notes and very short letters. The letters 
may be worked out in class and placed on the board by the 
teacher, to be copied by pupils. 

III. LESSONS ON THE MECHANICS OF LANGUAGE 

1. Oral and written drill exercises to fix correct forms 
and uses of words. 

2. Contractions and abbreviations as found in the reader. 

3. Capitalization of sentences and proper names, and use 
of period and interrogation point. 

THIRD GRADE 
I. ORAL EXERCISES 

1. Folk-lore stories, fables, myths and fairy tales, and 
other stories told by the pupils in previous years should be 
retold frequently. 

2. Stories from history and other sources depicting hero- 
ism, truth, honesty, perseverance, courage, etc., told by the 
teacher to be reproduced by the pupils. 

3. Observations and personal experiences told by pupils. 

4. Poems and memory gems read to pupils and studied in 
class, and a choice few committed to memory. 

5. Eugene Field. Some of the things in the life of Field 
that appeal to children of this grade should be taken up by 
the teacher. Some of the selections from the writings of 
the author may be committed to memory by the pupils. 
Pupils may be encouraged to read other selections suitable 
to their age and grade. 



152 MODERN METHODS 

6. Dramatization of stories and poems. 

7. Oral compositions in the form of topical recitations in 
reading, geography and nature study. 

8. Picture reading and exercises suggested by pictures. 

II. WRITTEN EXERCISES 

1. Composite stories ; that is, reproduction of short stories 
for which pupils contribute sentences. The sentences should 
be written on the board by the teacher. The difficult words 
in the story should then be studied. The composition should 
then be written from memory by the pupils. It is best to 
use fables and other stories with which pupils are familiar. 

2. Short written compositions based : — 

( 1 ) On stories which pupils can tell well orally. 

(2) On reading lessons. 

(3) On nature lessons. 

(4) On geography lessons. 

At least one story per week should be required. The writ- 
ing of the story should be preceded by drill exercises in 
spelling the difficult words contained in it. 

3. Dictation exercises based upon the reader. 

4. Simple letter writing. Placing and punctuation of 
heading, salutation, body and conclusion. 

5. Familiar poems written from memory. 

III. LESSONS ON THE MECHANICS OF LANGUAGE 

1. Use of capitals and punctuation marks taught in con- 
nection with reading and dictation exercises. 

2. Oral and written drill exercises to fix correct forms 
and uses of words. 

3. The simple contractions and abbreviations. 



LANGUAGE 153 

FOURTH GRADE 

I. ORAL EXERCISES 

1. Reproduction of fables, folk-lore stories, myths, anec- 
dotes and other stories. 

2. Poems and memory gems studied in class. 

3. Topical recitations in reading, geography and nature 
study. 

4. Picture reading and oral compositions based on topics 
related to or suggested by pictures. 

5. A study of the life and writings of Henry Wadsworth 
Longfellow. 

6. Observations and personal experiences told by pupils. 

II. WRITTEN EXERCISES 

1. Reproductions of short and simple stories which pupils 
have told orally. 

2. Written compositions based on reading, library read- 
ing, geography, nature study and other knowledge lessons. 

3. Letter writing. 

4. Original compositions based upon personal experiences 
of children. 

5. Dictation exercises. 

6. Writing of poems from memory. 

7. Written compositions based on pictures. 

III. LESSONS ON THE MECHANICS OF LANGUAGE 

1. Use of punctuation marks, capitals, abbreviations, con- 
tractions, etc. 

2. Drill exercises to fix correct forms and uses of words. 

3. Diacritical marks. Drill exercises to fix pronunciation 
of vowel and consonant sounds. 

4. Teach use of dictionary. 

5. Combining sentences. 



154 MODERN METHODS 

FIFTH GRADE 

I. ORAL EXERCISES 

1. Stories from the Bible: — Abraham, Moses, Joseph, 
David, Solomon. 

2. Biographical stories : — Cyrus, Lycurgus, Solon, Themis- 
tocles, Socrates, Pericles, Epaminondas, Alexander, Hanni- 
bal, the Gracchi, Caesar, Arminius. 

3. Topical recitations based on reading, library reading, 
geography and nature study. 

4. Picture reading. 

5. Critical reading of poems. Poems committed to mem- 
ory. Concert reading and reciting of poems. 

6. A study of the life and writings of John Greenleaf 
Whittier. 

7. Observations and personal experiences told by pupils. 

II. WRITTEN EXERCISES 

1. Short compositions based on stories. 

2. Reproduction of stories and paraphrasing of poems. 

3. Compositions based on pictures, and topics suggested 
by picture study. 

4. Compositions based on knowledge lessons. 

5. Letter writing. 

6. Written compositions describing personal experiences, 
adventures, etc. The teacher should work out a few topics 
with the class as an illustration of what each pupil must do 
with his individual topic. Encourage freedom and origi- 
nality in this work. The compositions should not be too 
long. Occasionally a composition of one of the pupils 
should be written on the board and criticized with a view to 
making the pupils self-critical. 

7. Dictation lessons. 



LANGUAGE 155 

III. LESSONS ON THE MECHANICS OF LANGUAGE 

1. Drill exercises to fix correct forms and uses of words. 

2. Review of diacritical marks. 

3. Drill exercises in punctuation. 

4. Correction of common errors. 

5. Use of the dictionary continued. 



SIXTH GRADE 
I. ORAL EXERCISES 

1. Stories from general history: — Constantine, Attila, 
Theodoric, Belisarius, Mohammed, Charles Martel, Charle- 
magne, Alfred the Great, Otto the Great, William the Con- 
queror, Frederick I, John Gutenberg, Columbus, Cortez and 
Montezuma, Peter the Great, Frederick the Great, Crom- 
well, Napoleon, Gladstone, Bismarck. 

These stories are to be told by the teacher and reproduced 
by the children. 

2. A study of the life and writings of Oliver Wendell 
Holmes. 

3. Topical recitations based upon reading, geography, his- 
tory and nature study. 

4. Reports on library reading and on home reading. 

5. Critical reading of poems and prose selections. Poems 
committed to memory. 

6. Picture reading and description of pictures. 

II. WRITTEN EXERCISES 

I. Frequent ten-minute compositions — reproducing 
stories, or original work. 



156 MODERN METHODS 

2. Paraphrasing poems. 

3. Written recitations in connection with reading, library 
reading, and geography, history and nature study. 

4. Paragraph writing or short compositions using small 
units of stories from general history and topics from colonial 
history. Some instruction in outlining subjects should be 
given by the teacher in connection with this work. 

5. Compositions based on the lives of authors and artists 
with which pupils have become familiar. 

6. Descriptions of personal experiences, and simple at- 
tempts at invention. Pupils should be encouraged to find 
suitable subjects for themselves without appealing to the 
teacher. The teacher should have lists of subjects that 
pupils may draw on in emergencies. 

7. Writing of stories sug'gested by pictures. 

8. Letter writing. Letters should be as real as possible ; 
hence many should be written to real persons and sent 
through the mail. The business letters should be made 
prominent in this grade. 

9. Writing telegrams and advertisements. 

10. Dictation lessons and writing from memory short 
poems previously studied. 



III. LESSONS ON THE MECHANICS OF LANGUAGE 

1. Drill exercises to fix correct forms and uses of words. 

2. Combining of sentences, and changing order of words 
without changing the thought of a sentence. 

3. Use of the dictionary. Special drills on the sounds of 
vowels and consonants. 

4. Drill exercises in punctuation. 



LANGUAGE 157 

SEVENTH GRADE 
I. ORAL EXERCISES 

1. Topical recitations in history, geography, nature study 
and other knowledge subjects. 

2. Critical reading of poems and prose selections. Poems 
committed to memory. 

3. A study of the Ufe and writings of William Cullen 
Bryant. 

4. Stories based on poems. 

5. Observations and personal experiences involving gen- 
eral knowledge told by pupils. 

6. Discussion of the topic sentence in reading lessons and 
expanding topic sentences into paragraphs. 

7. Current events. 

II. WRITTEN EXERCISES 

1. Writing stories told or read to pupils. 

2. Paraphrasing poems which have been studied critic- 
ally. 

3. Writing stories suggested by pictures. 

4. Written compositions based on knowledge lessons. 

5. Compositions based on the lives of authors with which 
pupils have become familiar. 

6. Descriptions of personal experiences. 

7. Original compositions relating to school life, life on the 
street, at home, life in the field, forest and streams, holiday 
excursions, imaginary journeys, etc. 

8. Letter writing. 

9. Expanding topic sentences into paragraphs. 

III. LESSONS ON THE MECHANICS OF LANGUAGE 

1. The study of grammar from a textbook. 

2. Drill exercises on forms and uses of words. 



158 MODERN METHODS 

3. Drill exercises in combining sentences, and changing 
order of words in sentences without changing the thought. 

EIGHTH GRADE 

I. ORAL EXERCISES 

The eighth-grade work is simply a continuation and exten- 
sion of the work in the preceding grades, especially the 
seventh. More freedom should be permitted in the choice 
of subjects, and speed and accuracy in both oral and written 
work should be aimed at. Emphasis should be placed on 
unity of thought in the paragraph. Self-criticism on the 
part of pupils should be encouraged. 

1. The critical study of selections illustrating the various 
forms of composition. 

2. The study of selections as models of style. 

3. Original narrations and descriptions. 

4. Debates. 

5. Reproduction of stories. 

6. Topical recitations in the various knowledge subjects. 

7. A study of the life and writings of James Russell 
Lowell. 

8. Biographies of poets studied in previous grades to be 
reviewed. 

II. WRITTEN EXERCISES 

1. Compositions based on history, geography, physiology, 
nature study, and biographies of poets. 

2. Reproduction of stories read to pupils. 

3. Original compositions — narrations, descriptions, etc. 

4. Letters, business forms, telegrams, set of resolu- 
tions, etc. 

5. Frequent ten-minute compositions. 



THE TEACHING OF READING 

CHAPTER I 

PURPOSES AND METHODS 

I. To help children in acquiring power to get thought 
from the printed page, to the end that they may draw on the 
wisdom of the ages as stored in books. 
^ 2. To help children form the habit of reading good 
literature. 

3. To help children acquire power to render thought, feel- 
ing and emotion in an expressive way. 

While there is no "one way" of teaching reading upon 
which all teachers are united, the end sought suggests cer- 
tain fundamental things as necessary to secure good read- 
ing. The pedagogical movement in the study of a selection 
may be stated as follows : 

1. Statement of the aim. 

2. Preparation for the new lesson. 

3. Securing the thought content. 

4. Expressive reading of the selection. 

5. Reproduction of what is read. 

STATEMENT OF THE AIM 

When a new selection is to be read the teacher should 
state what it is about. This should, as far as possible, be 
done in terms of the subject matter. This statement of 
the aim tells the pupil where he is to direct his attention. 
It must be brief and definite and should not reveal too 

159 



160 MODERN METHODS 

much of the content of the reading lesson. Enough, how- 
ever, must be given to awaken interest in the lesson. 

PREPARATION FOR THE NEW LESSON 

Closely allied to the aim is the preparation for the new 
lesson. By means of a brief conversational exercise the 
teacher should bring out thoughts and experiences of the 
children that have a bearing on what they are going to read. 
This puts the pupils in a position to translate the new into 
elements of their experience. 

SECURING THE THOUGHT CONTENT 

There are various ways in which pupils may be intro- 
duced to the new lesson and good reasons can be advanced 
for each method. 

Oral Reading by the Teacher. When a new lesson is 
reached the teacher may read it through from beginning to 
end as expressively as lies in her power. The reasons for 
this method of presentation may be stated as follows : 

(i) Imitation plays an important part in the education 
of children. 

(2) The teacher's reading will be a model for the pupils 
to imitate. Unless the pupil hears the teacher read he will 
not hear good reading because his comrades read no better 
than he does. 

(3) The pupils get a general impression of the selec- 
tion and this leads to a quick and certain understanding of 
the subject matter. 

(4) Because the pupils get the thought easily they can 
pay attention to the pronunciation and emphasis as used 
by the teacher. 

There are, however, arguments that may be urged against 
this method, as follows: 



READING 161 

(i) While the teacher reads, the pupils often sit passive. 
They may or may not get the thought as the teacher pre- 
sents it, and even if they do they become dependent on 
the teacher and lose confidence in their own powers to read 
for thought. 

(2) The pupil is to be made self-active and independent. 
Even though he may have trouble in getting the thought 
by himself, he should, after he has gained some mechanical 
proficiency in reading, be required to read the selection 
without any preliminary reading by the teacher. 

Silent Reading by Pupils. It is claimed by many teachers 
that pupils should read the entire selection silently either 
at home or at school before they should be required to read 
it orally. 

This silent reading, it is claimed, is quite essential. By 
means of it pupils get at the story in the rough, and thus 
satisfy their curiosity concerning it. Pupils, too, are re- 
quired to do but one thing, to get the thought. Were they 
to read the selection orally, without previous study, it would 
demand the doing of two things at the same time ; namely, 
getting thought and giving expression to it. This might 
result in mechanical reading, in the introduction of set 
tones, and thus in the formation of habits inimical to 
success in learning to read. If there is time in the study 
recitation this silent reading may be done in class, but 
usually it is preferable to have pupils read the story silently 
during their study time in school or at home. 

It is urged also, that children should get the new through 
the eye, not the ear, and therefore silent reading for thought 
should precede oral reading. It is also claimed that since 
nine-tenths of the reading that the children will do after 
they leave school is silent reading, they should be trained 
in it as soon and as much as possible. 



162 MODERN METHODS 

Oral Reading by Pupils. What children can do them- 
selves, even though they cannot do it well to begin with, 
they should be encouraged to do ; hence beginning with the 
third grade the presentation should begin with the oral read- 
ing by the pupils. 

It is held, however, by some teachers, that if this method 
is followed the oral reading of the pupils should be pre- 
ceded by a drill on the pronunciation and meaning of new 
and difficult words. It is claimed that these should be 
selected beforehand and written on the board. In the drill 
on the words, pupils should be encouraged to pronounce 
unfamiliar words at sight and learn their meaning. The 
dictionary may be consulted for the pronunciation and 
meaning of some of the words. When the pronunciation 
of the words is secured, there should be quick, sharp drills 
to fix correct articulation and distinct enunciation. 

But there are other teachers who are of the opinion that 
such a preliminary work on the mechanics of reading is 
unnatural, that the selections in a reader are properly 
graded, and that the best time to teach the pronunciation 
and meaning of a word is when the pupils first meet it in 
their reading. It is contended also that pupils will get 
the meaning of most of the new words by the context and 
hence the preliminary drill is not only unnecessary but 
unwise. 

Silent Reading as a Means of Approach. The method 
of approach in studying a new selection should not always 
be the same. It will depend upon the character of the 
class and the selection. As a rule, however, except per- 
haps in the case of poems, it is best to have the children 
read the selection through silently before they are required 
to read it orally. 

After the teacher has stated the aim of the lesson from 



READING 163 

the pupils* standpoint, and has spent a few minutes bring- 
ing the experiences of the pupils to bear on the new, there 
should follow the silent reading of the selection by the 
pupils. This silent reading may be done at school or at 
home. 

Oral Reading of Units of Thought. The silent reading 
should be followed by oral reading. As a rule pupils 
should read units of thought. The unit of thought may 
be a paragraph, but often two or more paragraphs may 
make up a unit of thought. 

While the pupil selected by the teacher is reading aloud, 
the other members of the class are acting as listeners; or 
rather they are getting the thought by listening to the pupil 
reading, and by reading silently what the one pi ^ !- lead- 
ing orally. After a unit has been read, two c^ ^e.^ are 
open to the teacher. 

After she has made corrections as to pronunciation of 
words, she may begin to ask questions on the part read, 
that is, she may begin with the thought analysis; or she 
may ask a child to tell in a connected way what was read, 
this to be followed by a thought analysis. 

On the whole it is probably best to allow a pupil to repro- 
duce the subject matter or unit of the story read. This 
reproduction will serve as a key to the teacher. By means 
of it she will know how well the pupil understands the les- 
son. It will reveal the parts which the pupil failed to com- 
prehend, or which have failed to make an impression on 
him. 

Thought Analysis. The thought analysis of each unit 
should not be carried too far. If it is necessary to help 
pupils in getting at the meaning of words, it should be done 
by appealing to pupils who know the meaning, by having 
the teacher state the meaning of the words or substituting 



164 MODERN METHODS 

simple words for those used in selections, or by sending 
some pupil to the dictionary for the meaning of the words. 

The purpose in this first analysis is to help pupils get 
the main thought of the paragraph or unit. When the 
essential thought has been secured, then, by means of 
questions, the minor thoughts which help to explain or 
illuminate the principal thought should be secured. The 
questions asked should stimulate thought; therefore they 
should contain only a few of the words which may be used 
in the answer. A question that will often be repeated, is, 
"What .does this paragraph tell us ?" In her questions the 
teacher should not spread over too much surface. Instruc- 
tion should result in depth. 

If the teacher makes explanations, they should be brief 
and to the point. She should be moderate even in offer- 
ing explanations. 

To vary the exercise, questions may be placed on the 
board. Pupils then can answer them by appealing to the 
book. The book is the key and they should be encouraged 
to use it. The teacher then will simply lead in the dis- 
cussion, the explanations coming from the pupils. Before 
leaving a unit, the pupils should be led to find a heading 
for it and then give the thought of the unit in their own 
words. In this way each unit should be worked over. 
But again the caution — do not flood the pupils with ques- 
tions and do not spend too much time in having them gain 
the first general survey of the selection. 

Critical Reading. The reading lesson should teach chil- 
dren how to study ; that is, it should teach children how to 
find the thread and purpose of what is read, how to group 
ideas, and how to secure unity of meaning from the diver- 
sity of detail. 

It should, however, do more than this. It must teach 



READING 165 

the pupil to reflect on what is read, to get the inmost mean- 
ing so that he will enrich himself with new ideas and feel- 
ings. The pupil must put himself in a critical attitude, not 
simply a receptive one. He must compare the new with 
the old impressions. He must test the new by the old 
and accept or reject the new wholly or in part. Finally 
he must hold what is retained for future use and apply 
it, if possible, to his life. 

It is necessary, then, to spend some time on a more 
critical analysis of the selection after the first reading as 
outlined above. By means of judicious questioning the 
inner or hidden thoughts may be suggested to pupils. They 
can be led to feel with the author, to enter into the very 
soul of the lesson, and thus be put into the best possible 
attitude to interpret thought and feeling correctly. 

To reach this end the teacher must prepare carefully 
the questions to be used. The aim is always to assist 
pupils in visualizing descriptions, and in securing a clear 
appreciation of thought and feeling. But this critical study 
must not be too searching. Fine passages are often muti- 
lated by excessive analysis of the beautiful pictures they 
contain, and if pupils are kept too long on a selection, they 
are apt to tire of it. Grammatical analysis may be applied, 
but simply as a means, not an end. 

It should not be assumed that all selections are to be 
treated so fully. Only those rich in content or beautiful 
in form should serve for this purpose. There are two 
kinds of prose selections in every reader, one suitable for 
critical reading and the other for sight or silent reading. 
About ten selections should be studied critically each year, 
the number depending on the character and length of the 
selection used and upon the class. 



166 MODERN METHODS 

EXPRESSIVE READING OF THE SELECTION 

Just when to introduce the expressive reading of a selec- 
tion is still a debatable question. All oral reading should 
be as expressive as possible, but it is safe to assume that 
the oral reading following the careful thought analysis 
must be better than any first reading can be. Even edu- 
cated persons find it difficult to read a selection expressively 
without first reading it for the thought. 

The Kind of Selections to Be Used. Nor is it to be 
assumed that all selections are equally well adapted to teach 
expressive reading. The very nature of information les- 
sons precludes their being of much service in expressive 
reading, especially if the subject matter is such as demands 
many explanations. The teacher, naturally, will be the 
judge as to the selections best adapted for expressive read- 
ing. She will, however, discover that the soul-stirring selec- 
tions, full of feeling and emotion, are best adapted for 
this purpose. When such selections are read she will find 
that pupils will be willing to consider again and again every 
imperfection occurring in their reading with a view to cor- 
recting it, and thus bad habits in reading will be caused 
to disappear. 

The Basis of Expressive Reading. Children have no 
trouble in talking expressively. The little four-year-old 
expresses his thoughts in a natural and hence an effective 
way. He does not need to study the art of expression 
to exhibit surprise, anger, fear or happiness. This power, 
possessed by all children, constitutes the child's foundation 
upon which the teaching of expressive reading must be 
based. When the child feels the emotion its translation 
into language is an unconscious act. 

It should follow that when pupils understand a selection 
they should be able to read it expressively. But teachers 



READING 167 

know this is true only theoretically. The school is an arti- 
ficial community, and children must be helped to become 
natural in their actions and doings in this community. Oral 
reading in school is always before an audience, and the 
timidity inherent in most children must be overcome before 
naturalness in their efforts can be brought about. 

The work of the teacher, then, is of a twofold nature. 
She must see to it that her pupils thoroughly understand 
a selection before they are asked to read it expressively, 
and she must encourage them to abandon themselves to the 
thoughts and emotions suggested by the selection to the end 
that their natural conversational powers may come into 
play. 

The Goal in Expressive Reading. The goal in expres- 
sive reading is reached if children read with sufficient vol- 
ume and pleasant tone of voice, with correct pronuncia- 
tion, slowly yet fluently, with natural but appropriate em- 
phasis and with feeling. 

Proper Use of the Voice. The teacher should direct 
pupils to use their voices properly. Too often we see chil- 
dren trying to read expressively with lips nearly closed. 
The mouth must be open as in speaking, for expressive 
reading is like speaking. The tone should come from the 
front of the mouth. It should issue freely from the mouth, 
and not remain lodged in the throat or between the teeth, 
or be forced upwards through the nose. The lips must 
be almost constantly in action. If there are words or 
phrases that demand special drill to secure correct pronun- 
ciation, time should be taken for this purpose. 

Proper Breathing. The manner of breathing should re- 
ceive attention. Pupils should be taught not to read until 
their breath is exhausted, but to take short breaths at fre- 
quent intervals. When the reading demands a full loud 



168 MODERN METHODS 

tone or rapid utterance, deep breaths are required. But 
it should be remembered that volume is not synonymous 
with screaming. To learn to use the breath properly is 
very essential, for it is not alone much speaking that causes 
hoarseness and fatigue, but speaking to a point where the 
breath is wholly exhausted. 

Proper Phrasing. Pupils must be taught proper phras- 
ing. They must read groups of related words, not isolated 
words. Proper grouping of words not only aids in convey- 
ing the meaning that is intended, but makes possible proper 
breathing while reading aloud. 

Punctuation marks, especially the comma, are not safe 
guides in expressive reading. Rhetorical pauses are often 
introduced after groups of words where there is no comma, 
and often a comma and other marks are ignored in the 
oral reading. 

No general rule for grouping can be given, since group- 
ing depends so largely on the thought to be conveyed. But 
generally speaking, modifying words and words they 
modify go together, and often phrases and clauses consti- 
tute separate groups. 

Rapid Reading to Be Avoided. To get children to read 
naturally and effectively is a high art and demands much 
skill on the part of the teacher. Possibly the greatest 
obstacle for the teacher to overcome is rapidity of utter- 
ance, which carries in its train a number of minor faults. 
While proper grouping and the use of rhetorical pauses 
reduce the evil effects of rapid delivery, experience teaches 
that rapid reading is poor reading, for it usually degen- 
erates into ''toboggan it down the page." Effectiveness 
should not be sacrificed for fluency. 

Recognition of the Imitative Faculty. The teaching of 
reading, like that of writing, drawing and singing, can be 



READING 169 

greatly accelerated by recognizing the imitative faculty of 
children. Since success in expressive reading depends pri- 
marily on the teacher, her reading should be as nearly per- 
fect as possible. 

Shall pupils simply imitate the reading of the teacher? 
Slavish imitation is not desirable. Often by means of a 
simple reading, a passage hitherto hazy becomes clear. It 
enables pupils to gain a greater insight into the meaning 
of a selection, and thus makes it possible for them not only 
to imitate the reading of the teacher, but to catch the spirit 
of the selection. Pupils are often bashful and timid. They 
seem to be afraid of their own voices. It takes a live, 
enthusiastic and impressive teacher to influence pupils to 
put forth their best efforts. 

Oral Reading at Home. When a selection has been 
worked over in school, and pupils are thoroughly imbued 
with the spirit of it, they should be urged to read it orally 
at home. In the home, where conditions are more natural 
than in school, pupils will be willing to put forth their best 
efforts. It may be said that extensive oral reading at 
home deepens bad habits. While this may be true to some 
extent, the danger will be obviated if the study recitation 
is carried out in the proper way. The time in school 
devoted to the individual is very short. The average time 
allotted to a class of twenty-five pupils is about thirty 
minutes. That means that each pupil will get a chance to 
read orally on the average only one minute each day. For a 
year it would mean 200 minutes, or a little over three hours 
spent in actual reading. This indicates that some time 
should be devoted to oral reading at home. 

The Pupil Reading Should Face the Class. In the final 
expressive reading, the pupil should stand before the class, 
and his classmates should have their books closed. If they 



170 MODERN METHODS 

are allowed to have their books open, they may listen to the 
reader but with the attention divided between him and the 
book. 

Facing the class is an incentive to good reading. The 
pupil will naturally try to read in such a way that his 
hearers will get what he has to give. He will read more 
freely, convincingly and naturally. 

Individual Assistance by the Teacher. It is a good plan 
for the teacher occasionally to assist pupils in presenting 
selections new to the class both as to thought and manner 
of expression. To read a new selection before a critical 
audience of fellow pupils furnishes the highest incentive in 
expressive reading. 

An Experiment. A teacher once told the writer that her 
success in teaching reading was due largely to the fact 
that soon after she began teaching it occurred to her to 
extend individual assistance to her poorest reader. The 
pupil was a boy of Irish parentage, and she selected for 
him, Wendell Phillips' Oration on O'Connell. 

She described how, after she had spent an hour one day 
after school working with him on the selection, the boy 
caught the spirit of it, and in a week he declared he was 
ready to read the oration before the class. The boy made 
a ''hit" with his classmates, who had not suspected that he 
would ever show such ability, and from that time on the 
boy had to be cautioned not to devote so much time to his 
preparation for expressive reading. 

The experiment had one other effect. It acted as a spur 
to every member of the class, and the period for expressive 
reading not only lost its terrors for them, but was looked 
forward to eagerly. 

Correct Posture. One other suggestion may be in order. 
The teacher should insist on correct posture of the body in 



READING 171 

oral reading. The body should be erect, with head erect; 
the book should be held in the left hand nearly level with 
the eyes but a little to the left of the head. The volume 
of voice to be used will depend on the size of the room. 
One way to gauge the amount is to have the reader or 
speaker address himself to the pupils sitting in the farther 
end of the room. 

Reading of Old Selections. While the teacher should 
have good expressive reading in mind in every reading 
exercise, it would be well to devote the entire reading 
period once a week to expressive reading. Special effort 
should be made to get the poorer readers and those whose 
natural timidity prevents them from doing as well as they 
can to read with fluency and expression. 

Selections that have been studied in class should be read 
and reread. This will increase the pupils' facility in oral 
reading. The pupils will become enthusiastic over really 
good expressive reading whether by the pupils or teacher, 
and this will go far in causing the listless, heartless and 
rapid reading so often found both in the elementary and 
high schools to disappear. 

REPRODUCTION OF WHAT IS READ 

The general purpose of reading is to secure power to get 
thought from the printed page. If this is admitted, then 
it follows that an exercise in reading is not complete unless 
pupils are tested to determine whether they know and 
remember what they have read. It would be a strange 
anomaly indeed to hold that we read only to forget. 

The teacher, therefore, after she has worked over a selec- 
tion with her pupils, should determine not only whether 
they understand it, but she should devote some time to help- 
ing pupils to remember what they have read. 



172 MODERN METHODS 

But here again the character of the selection will deter- 
mine whether a reproduction of the thought content should 
be demanded. If the selection read is one whose thought 
content is of sufficient importance, the following plan of 
securing the reproduction of the thought will be found sug- 
gestive. 

The Preparation and Use of the Outline. The headings 
of the units which were secured during the study of the 
selection should be used as the basis of an outline. A 
rereading of the selection should be required with a view 
of having the pupils secure subheads. When the outline 
has been completed the pupils should reproduce what was 
read, first by referring to the outline, and then without 
the outline. Then using only the general headings, the 
pupils should be taught to summarize; that is, to give the 
main points of the selection in connected discourse. This 
is a difficult thing to do, and hence the teacher must come 
to the assistance of the pupils. 

Valuable Language Exercises. The free oral reproduc- 
tion of a large unit of thought also constitutes a valuable 
language lesson. To vary the exercise the teacher might say, 
*'Tell this story as though you were the one concerned in it, 
and were telling it to your friends, using the pronoun T'." 

Many variations of this kind of exercises may be intro- 
duced by changing the persons, time, place, etc., of a story, 
and thus also much practice in the art of oral exposition 
may be secured. 

Outlines on Knozvledge Subjects. During the last three 
years of the elementary school, pupils should be encour- 
aged to prepare outlines of what they read in history, geog- 
raphy, physiology and other knowledge subjects without 
the assistance of the teacher, which outlines they should 
use as a basis for summaries to be made by them. 



READING 173 

Written Exercises. A reading lesson may offer much 
material for written language work. When pupils are able 
to reproduce in detail the subject matter of an entire selec- 
tion, smaller units or topics may be used as a basis for 
written exercises. 

To avoid the introduction of many mistakes in the writ- 
ten reproduction, it is suggested that the teacher devote 
some time to a drill on the spelling of the difficult words 
and on some of the beautiful expressions found in the 
selections, to the end that they may be used properly in 
the written composition. 

Though the outline may remain on the board while the 
pupils are writing, the teacher should never allow the pretty 
sentences, and the words that have been drilled on, to 
remain on the board. If that were done the pupils might 
be led to "build the composition around the words," which 
would result in stiff, mechanical and thoughtless composi- 
tions. It is even unwise to allow children always to have 
access to the outline. That also may result in mechanical 
forms of expression. It may be best to have pupils depend 
wholly upon themselves in this work. If exact reproduc- 
tion of what is read is not insisted upon, pupils will put 
their individuality into the compositions, and while their 
efforts in the beginning may be somewhat crude, they will 
suggest freedom in thought and construction of sentences, 
something much to be desired. 

CONCERT READING 

Concert reading is used in our schools only to a very 
limited extent, in spite of the fact that it can be defended 
on good pedagogical grounds. 

It may be somewhat unnatural to have a whole class 



174 MODERN METHODS 

read in concert what was intended to be read only by an 
individual, but there are so many advantages in concert 
reading, that it should not be condemned without a hearing. 

ADVANTAGES 

We seem in some instances to work by extremes. A 
few decades ago concert reading was used so extensively, 
but unpedagogically, that its use was abused, and the pen- 
dulum but now has begun to swing to the other side. It 
may not be amiss to insert an analysis of the advantages 
that concert reading seems to possess, if used properly. 

1. All the pupils of a class are kept busy at the same 
time. 

2. Concert reading relieves the strain of the reading by 
individual pupils. 

3. Timidity on the part of pupils disappears. There 
are children who, when they read alone, use only half their 
voice volume. When they are a part of a group, they are 
willing to put volume into their reading. 

4. The subject matter appeals more strongly to the pupils. 

5. Concert reading strengthens the desire on the part of 
all pupils to improve their expressive reading. 

6. Pupils are conscious that they are of assistance in 
producing a general effect, and hence they gain confidence 
in their own powers. 

IMPORTANCE OF THE TEACHER 

Some things are demanded of the teacher to make con- 
cert reading effective : 

1. The teacher must direct the concert reading somewhat 
in the manner that the teacher of singing conducts the 
singing lesson. 

2. She must be the leader. She must recite with the 



READING 175 

pupils and direct with her hand so that all voices will 
remain together. 

3. She must see to it that pupils do not read too loud. 
The natural tone of voice should not be transcended. 

4. She must see to it that the reading does not become 
mechanical and poorly modulated. 

5. She must be alert in detecting mistakes. Her eye and 
ear must be active so that she will both see and hear what- 
ever takes place while the pupils are reading or reciting. 

6. She must stand in full view of her pupils so that they 
may see her at all times to watch for directions. 

7. Whole selections should be used in concert work only 
after much preparation and drill. 



SIGHT AND SUPPLEMENTARY READING 

APPLICATION OF POWER SECURED IN CRITICAL READING 

The aim in all instruction is to make the pupil independent, 
to emancipate him from the leading strings of the teacher. 
By means of critical and expressive reading, the teacher 
can inculcate correct habits in thought getting and thought 
giving. During the entire course the power acquired in 
critical reading should be applied in sight reading. Some 
of the best work in reading can be done by begetting a 
proper spirit among pupils, in attacking new selections, to 
get the essential thought in one reading without the assist- 
ance of the teacher. This habit of reading a thing right 
off is one that has received but little attention, and yet it 
constitutes the most important objective point towards 
which all reading not purely rhetorical must be directed. 
About half the time from the third grade up should be 
devoted to sight reading. Supplementary reading, being 



176 MODERN METHODS 

essentially of the nature of sight reading, is here classed 
with sight reading. 

Supplementary reading really begins in the first grade. 
It rarely happens that in this grade but one primer or first 
reader is used the entire year. As a rule, a number of first 
books in reading are read which supplement what the 
teacher may term her basic reader. 

CHILDREN SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO SUPPLEMENTARY 
READERS 

After the mechanics of reading have been fairly mas- 
tered, say at the end of the third grade, many supple- 
mentary reading books should be at the disposal of the 
pupils. There is no dearth of material. On the contrary, 
our libraries are filled with the choicest of children's books 
in biography, history, nature study and geography, to say 
nothing of the innumerable stories, myths and fairy tales 
so interesting to children because of their appeaUng so 
strongly to the imagination. 

Every schoolroom should have a collection of such books. 
In most instances single copies of the books must suffice. 
These should be drawn by the pupils and kept in their desks 
ready for any spare minutes which may be devoted to 
their use. 

Pupils should not be required to *'recite" on the books 
they read in this way. A brief report made to the teacher 
should suffice. 

THE STUDY RECITATION IN SIGHT READING 

In each school there should also be several sets of supple- 
mentary readers for use in sight reading. When so used 
the teacher should introduce a brief study recitation to 



READING 177 

assist pupils in learning the pronunciation of the difficult 
words occurring in the selections. 

If it is found that the pupils experience much difficulty 
in sight reading, there is but one course to pursue — sim- 
pler material must be secured. As a rule, pupils are 
required to read difficult selections too early and the inev- 
itable result is poor reading. 

FLIGHTY READING SHOULD BE AVOIDED 

To read many books in a flighty way, thus ignoring the 
thought and beauty of diction, brings no permanent gain 
and leads to careless, thoughtless reading. The teacher 
should not, therefore, in her desire to "finish" a book, move 
rapidly from one part to another, but should remain long 
enough with each part to make sure that the children have 
the thought. This is usually evidenced by their ability to 
read the selection intelligently if not expressively. It may 
be well, even in sight reading, to introduce some discus- 
sion of subject matter and occasional summarizations of 
what is read; otherwise the oral reading may degenerate 
into mere word calling. 

RAPID SIGHT READING TO BE DEVELOPED 

When the habit of reading for thought has been acquired, 
more attention can be devoted to rapid silent reading. Pres- 
ent day conditions demand the ability to read voluminously. 
The daily paper is read or scanned before breakfast. There 
are new magazines to be read each month. The city and 
private libraries are drawn on more or less regularly for 
books and periodicals. Nearly all of this reading is silent 
reading. 

To become a rapid silent reader it is necessary to culti- 
vate the ability of taking in whole sentences or large parts 



178 MODERN METHODS 

of sentences at a glance. This must become automatic, 
so that the mind can lose itself in the thought of what 
is read. 

HOW THE SCHOOL HELPS 

The school must help in developing the ability to read 
rapidly. This can be done by having the children read 
easy selections and stories intended for grades lower than 
the one in which they are used ; by having the pupils read 
some of the less important narrative selections in the reader 
silently; by having them read library books and having 
them report briefly in class on what they have read; and 
by having them read readers and knowledge books which 
are not being used in class. But care must always be exer- 
cised in preventing children from reading books without 
reflecting on what they read. 

READING ONLY A MEANS TO AN END 

"Tell me what you read, how you read, and why you 
read," said an ancient philosopher, ''and I'll tell you what 
kind of a man you are." 

If our young men and women who have been trained to 
read in our schools were tested in this way, what would 
be the verdict? Are our young people reading too much 
without thinking about what they read? Is the class of 
literature such that it develops the mind and feelings of 
the reader ? Do the library books which are read represent 
largely the class of books known as "light fiction," or do 
they also include books on science, travel, history, etc.? 
These are questions which the school and the home must 
answer. Ability to read becomes educative only when it 
is coupled with a desire to read the right kind of news- 
papers, periodicals and books. 



c 



READING 179 

Reading is only a means to an end. Its purpose must 
ever be intellectual and moral culture. The habit of read- 
ing good books must be formed during the school period 
of life or the school and the home have failed in an impor- 
tant part of their v/ork. After the pupil has left school, 
good books must become his true friends to which he re- 
returns again and again. He will then be no longer lonely, 
for he will be surrounded by great and noble thoughts. 



CHAPTER II 

ILLUSTRATIVE EXERCISES 
THE STORY OF A LOST LAMS 

I 

1. There was never a sweeter child than dear little golden-haired 
Flora Campbell. Her footsteps were light as a fairy's, her cheeks 
were like the June roses, her eyes were blue as the summer sky. 
Her heart was all sunshine. Her thoughts were as pure and fresh 
as the flowers which she twined in her hair. 

2. She talked with the birds, the brooks, and the blossoms. And 
at sunrise, every morning, when the shepherds went out with their 
flocks, you might hear her singing among the hills. All loved the 
gentle little child; for she was kind and good and fair. 

II 

3. It is evening among the hills. The sun has set, and it is 
growing dark in the narrow valleys. One by one the stars are seen 
in the sky, sailing with the new moon among the summer clouds. 
In the cottages the tables are spread for supper, and the lamps are 
lighted. 

4. Where now is Flora Campbell? She was never so late coming 
home. Her grandfather has been to the door a dozen times to 
look for her. "Have you seen Flora?" he asks of every one that 
passes by. 

5. He cannot sit down to supper, and Flora away. He looks up 
to the hills and his lips move in prayer. 

6. Flora's mother stands by the window and sees the last light of 
day fade away upon the mountains. Her lips move,, too : "Kind 
Father in heaven, keep all harm from our dear lamb and bring her 
safe home again!" 

180 



READING 181 

III 

7. Gaffer Campbell went out into the street, leaning on his staff. 
He knocked at every door. At every door he asked the same 
question: "Have you seen my grandchild, Flora?" 

8. One man said that he had met her far up on the mountain 
gathering wild flowers. 

"When was that?" 

"It was near noon, I think." 

9. Another man had seen her in the path that leads to the Moss 
Glen. She was sitting on a rock and making a willow basket for 
her grandfather. That was early in the morning. 

10. Still another man had seen her. He had passed her near the 
head of the lake, only an hour before sunset; and she was carrying 
a basket of flowers on her arm. 

"But where is she now?" 

"We must go out and find her at once!" cried several of the 
young men. 

11. "Ah me. Gaffer Campbell!" said a white-haired old shepherd. 
"I was afraid that something was about to happen. The youngest 
lamb of my flock was lost in the hills today." 

"Heaven grant that my little lamb may be safe!" said Gaffer 
Campbell. 

IV 

12. Everybody in the village knew now that little Flora was lost. 
Soon the men were ready to go in search of her. Bright torches 
shone on the hilltops and in the valleys. Up and down the moun- 
tain paths the young men went, calling, "Flora ! Flora !" But there 
was no answer. 

13. Gaffer Campbell leaned upon his staff. He said not a word. 
He could not weep ; for his heart was too full. But Flora's mother 
sat in her cottage, calling the name of her child. 

14. The village pastor came. He had heard that Flora was 
missing, and he had come to speak words of hope to her mother. 
"Do not weep," he said. "Flora will be found." 

15. But her mother still cried, "The child is lost! the child is 
lost!" "He who takes care of the lambs in the winter storm will 
take care of your child," said the old pastor. 



182 MODERN METHODS 



i6. Just then they heard a dog bark far down in the deep valley- 
called Moss Glen. They saw the torches passing quickly toward 
the same place. Gaffer Campbell and the pastor started at once to 
the glen. But Flora's mother passed them and ran wildly up the 
narrow path. They looked down into the dark glen. They could 
hear the dogs very plainly now. 

17. A little farther and they came to the edge of the deep chasm 
called the "Deer's Mouth." Here the young men were standing 
with their torches. They were trying to look down into the chasm. 
But all was dark there. They could hear no sound but the quick, 
sharp barking of the dog. It seemed to be far, far below them. 

18. "We must go down !" cried one of the young men. "That is 
my dog Louth; and he knows Flora as well as I do." 

19. "Yes, we must go down!" cried another. "Where are the 
ropes?" 

20. Soon long ropes were brought. Strong men held them while 
Donald, Louth's young master, made ready to go down into the 
chasm. He took hold of a rope, and swung himself from the edge 
of the rock. Down, down, he went. He could see the bright 
torches above him; but when he looked down there was only 
darkness. 

21. At last Donald's feet touched the ground below. His dog 
ran to meet him. By the light of the torch which he held in his 
hand, he looked around him. 

22. What did he see? There on a thick bed of moss lay little 
Flora Campbell. She was holding in her arms the lost lamb. 

23. Donald went close to her and looked at her. Her eyes were 
shut. She was asleep. He looked at the little lamb. He saw that 
around one of its legs was a ribbon from the child's hat. Then he 
looked up, and called to his friends above, "Flora's safe! Flora's 
safe!" 

24. The sound awoke the little girl. She looked around, and 
saw the young man. 

"Dear Donald," she cried, "I am so glad you have come! Now 
we can save your lamb." 



READING 183 

VI 

25. The good people of the village soon learned how it had all 
happened. Flora had seen the young lamb fall into the chasm. 
Looking over the edge of the rocks she saw it lying at the bottom 
of the Deer's Mouth. 

26. She did not stop to think, but she began at once to climb 
down to it. It was no easy thing to do. Few men would have 
been brave enough to try it. 

27. But at last she was safe at the bottom. She found that one 
of the lamb's legs was broken, and she bound it up with the ribbon 
of her hat. Then she held the little creature in her arms till she 
fell asleep on the bed of moss. 

28. The people of the village were very happy that night, when 
they carried Flora home. The child had never been so dear to them 
before. 

29. Donald's father gave her the lamb that she had saved. And 
often after that, Flora might be seen playing on the hillside with 
her little pet; and everybody that met her spoke to her kindly, and 
whispered, "May heaven bless the dear child!" 

— From Baldwin's Third Reader, American Book Company. 



SUGGESTIVE METHOD 

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENTS 

As has been mentioned, there are two kinds of selec- 
tions in a reader, the one to be read and studied carefully, 
and the other to be used more like sight and supplementary 
reading. The Story of a Lost Lamb, because of its high 
literary value and beautiful thoughts, should be studied in 
detail to the end that the pupils may thoroughly grasp and 
exhaust the content and reproduce it in its fullness of mean- 
ing. Thus will the power and habit of reading for thought 
be strengthened and attention be directed to beauties of 
diction which will have a direct bearing on the art of oral 
and written exposition. 



184 MODERN METHODS 

STATEMENT OF THE AIM 

The teacher should state the aim somewhat as follows: 
"We shall read about a sweet little girl who helped to save 
a pretty little lamb." It will be observed that this aim 
relates to the important part of the content of the lesson 
and is so worded that it awakens an interest in the new, 
which is the story. 

PREPARATION FOR THE NEW LESSON 

In the so-called preparation the teacher should enter into 
a conversation with the pupils to call up old impressions 
and experiences which have a bearing on the new lesson. 
Questions like the following may be used: 

Why do you love your little sister? Suppose you were 
ready for supper and your little sister were not there. A 
half hour passes and she has not come. How would your 
mother begin to feel ? Soon it may dawn on you that your 
sister may be lost. What will your parents do? Why 
will the neighbors join in the search? Will they do it 
the more earnestly if they like your sister? 

FURTHER SUGGESTIONS 

Again the teacher may state the aim: This story tells 
us about a little girl who was lost while trying to save a 
pretty lamb. I wonder whether the little girl found the 
lamb, and I wonder whether the little girl got home safe? 
You can find out what happened to the little girl by reading 
the story. 

Then should follow the assignment by the teacher : For 
tomorrow read The Story of a Lost Lamb. This silent 
reading of the selection is important because the pupils will 
get the new through the eye; that is, by silent reading. 



READING 185 

rather than through the ear by listening to the reading by 
the pupils. 

SECURING THE THOUGHT CONTENT 

The author has divided the story into six units. These 
may be subdivided into smaller units, depending largely 
on the number of separate pictures suggested by them. 

One of the good readers should be called on to read the 
first unit. During this first reading the pupils of the class 
will listen to the oral reading by the pupil called on, and at 
the same time read silently what he is reading. At the 
close of the oral reading by the pupil the teacher should 
ask the pupils to find a heading for this unit. This should 
be placed on the blackboard. In addition to this the teacher 
will ask questions to bring out the essential thought. Other 
questions may be asked to clarify details, the key to the 
understanding of which is furnished by the pupil's fund 
of images. The teacher should also correct the pronuncia- 
tion of words the pupil may have miscalled in his oral 
reading. 

The work on the first unit closes when a pupil is called 
on to tell "How Flora Campbell looked and what she did." 
This constitutes the first rough summary of the unit. 

Methods of Procedure. Two methods of procedure are 
now open. The teacher may pass on to the next unit, 
handling that in a way similar to that used in the first 
unit, and so on until the entire story has been read, and 
headings found for each unit and a summary given of each 
unit. Or she may, after the summary of the first unit has 
been given, spend some time on the critical thought analysis 
and expressive reading. Either course can be defended 
on pedagogical grounds. 

Perhaps on the whole it may be best for the teacher to 



186 MODERN METHODS 

move from unit to unit, having each unit read, finding a 
heading for it, and having the substance of each unit given 
by the pupils. Naturally, if pupils experience any trouble 
in securing the thought content, the teacher should come 
to their assistance by means of questions and explanations. 
Critical Reading and Analysis. After the first reading 
of the selection in this way, there should be taken up a 
more critical analysis of each unit. This critical analysis 
should call attention to the principal thought expressed in 
each unit, to the characterization of the personages in the 
story, and the beautiful expressions used by the author. It 
should bring out the inner and possibly hidden thoughts, 
and it should ofifer opportunities for the exercise of the 
ethical judgment of the pupils. 

UNIT I — FLORA CAMPBELL 

What does the first sentence tell us about Flora Camp- 
bell? What is meant by ''Her footsteps were light as a 
fairy's"? What does "Her heart was all sunshine" tell 
us about Flora? How could she talk to the birds, the 
brooks and the blossoms ? What did she do at sunrise each 
morning ? 

There are several very pretty sentences in this unit. 
These should be committed to memory by the pupils. At 
the close of the thought analysis the expressive reading of 
the first unit should be taken up. 

The teacher will find that pupils will experience some 
trouble in reading the first sentence because of the uniform 
emphasis demanded on the words "dear little golden-haired 
Flora Campbell." What phrase suggests the manner in 
which the second sentence is to be read? What is the 
climax of this paragraph? Is it the sentence "Her heart 



READING 187 

was all sunshine," or is it, "Her thoughts were as pure and 
fresh as the flowers which she twined in her hair"? 

Different pupils should be called on to read this para- 
graph expressively, but the teacher must also read it ex- 
pressively, again and again, so that the pupils may catch 
her spirit in rendering the paragraph. 

The phrase, "'singing among the hills," is suggestive of 
the happiness which should characterize the tone in which 
the first two lines in the second paragraph should be read. 
The last line should be read slowly. If thought suggests 
emphasis, should the adjectives, *'kind," "good" and "fair" 
be emphasized? Why? There should follow now a drill 
on the expressive reading of this first unit. 

As an assignment the pupils should do two things: 

1. They should prepare themselves to tell the substance 
of the first unit. 

2. They should practice the oral reading, if possible, at 
home. 

The work on each succeeding unit, like on the first, 
should be of two kinds: 

1. There should be a critical analysis to bring out hidden 
or deeper meaning of parts of the selection, and to call 
attention to beautiful expressions. 

2. Attention should be paid to expressive reading, which 
necessitates devoting some time to securing proper phrasing 
and emphasis. 

UNIT II FLORA DOES NOT COME HOME FOR SUPPER 

The introductory sentence, "It is evening among the 
hills," and the following ones in the third paragraph pre- 
pare us for a tragedy. Paragraph three suggests a picture. 
Pupils should be given time to allow their imagination to 
work out this picture. 



188 MODERN METHODS 

The first question in paragraph four, "Where now is 
Flora Campbell?" is a general question. This question is 
repeated, but the second time there is much anxiety ex- 
pressed. The second and third sentences of this para- 
graph form the setting for the second question. Pupils 
must, in their reading, bring out the difference between 
the two questions. 

Try to picture the grandfather standing looking up to 
the hills, his lips moving in prayer. Does he love Flora? 

The sixth paragraph pictures the mother standing by the 
window. Mother instinct tells her that her child is lost. 

This is a difficult unit to read expressively, and it will 
be necessary for the teacher to come to the assistance of 
the pupils by reading parts of it or all of it expressively 
herself. 

UNIT III — THE GRANDFATHER SEARCHES FOR FLORA 

This, too, is a difficult unit to read because of the many 
direct quotations. There was a willingness on the part 
of the young men to go out to look for Flora. There is 
also confidence expressed in the declaration, "We must go 
out and find her at once." Was the old white-haired shep- 
herd as hopeful as the young men ? This should be brought 
out in the reading. Where should the emphasis be placed 
in the last sentence of the nth paragraph? Why? 

UNIT IV — FLORA IS LOST 

Did the words of the village pastor, reassuring as they 
were, console the mother? Give the answer the pastor 
made to the mother's cry, "The child is lost ! the child is 
lost!" Where was the father of Flora? 



READING 189 

UNIT V THE YOUNG MEN FIND FLORA 

What picture is suggested by paragraph i6? What by 
paragraph 17? Paragraphs 20 and 21? Describe how 
Flora was saved. What thought is suggested by the words 
the little girl spoke to Donald? 

UNIT VI — flora's story 

What made it possible for Flora to climb down to the 
bottom of the Deer's Mouth? Did she think it was a dan- 
gerous thing to do? Why did the village people insist 
on carrying Flora home? What in the last paragraph tells 
us how dearly the people of the village loved Flora? 

A teacher can well spend a week on The Story of a Lost 
Lamb. It is a selection replete with beautiful thoughts and 
pictures, and is well adapted to teach a phase of expressive 
reading which, while it demands the expression of beautiful 
thoughts and of much feeling, does not demand much 
volume. 

FINAL REPRODUCTION 

It bears repetition, that the purpose the teacher should 
always bear in mind is to have children acquire power in 
getting thought from the printed page, and if the selec- 
tion lends itself to expressive reading, to render the selec- 
tion in an expressive way. For this reason in selections 
of this kind the teacher should, before the final test in 
expressive reading, require the pupils to tell the story in 
their own words. 

The headings of the units will constitute the topical 
outline, and should be written on the blackboard. Since 
some of the units are quite comprehensive, it may be 
advisable to introduce subheads. An outline somewhat 
similar to the following may be worked out: 



190 MODERN METHODS 

THE STORY OF A LOST LAMB 

1. Flora Campbell 

1. How she looked 

2. What she did 

2. Flora does not come home for supper 

1. It is evening among the hills 

2. The grandfather's anxiety 

3. The mother's fear 

3. The grandfather searches for Flora 

1. Where Flora was seen by the villagers 

2. The interest the young men took in Flora 

3. The white-haired old shepherd 

4. Flora is lost 

1. The men look for Flora 

2. Gaffer Campbell says not a word 

3. The village pastor and Flora's mother 

5. The young men find Flora 

1. The dog barking in Moss Glenn 

2. They search the chasm known as "Deer's Mouth" 

3. They lower Donald into the chasm 

4. Donald with the help of his dog finds Flora 

5. The picture Donald saw by means of his torch 

6. What awoke Flora, and what she said 

6. Flora's story of how she came to be at the bottom 

of Deer's Mouth 

1. She saw the lamb fall into the chasm 

2. How she followed. Her perilous cHmb 

3. How the villagers loved Flora 

With the outline to refer to, pupils should give the 
thought of individual units or of the entire story. Then the 
story should be told without the aid of the outline. 



READING 191 

The telling of the story not only discloses to the teacher 
whether the pupils have the thought, but the naturalness 
in telling the story assures naturalness in reading the story. 

FINAL EXPRESSIVE READING 

There really is no ''final" expressive reading of the story. 
What is meant is that when the work which may be called 
preparatory is finished, pupils should be able to do two 
things and do them well: 

1. To tell the story as indicated above, and 

2. To read it expressively. 

An entire recitation period should be devoted to the 
expressive reading, and then this story, together with 
others, may be held in reserve for ''Expressive Reading 
Days," as previously described. 

LANGUAGE EXERCISES BASED ON THE SELECTION 

If the work on the selection. The Story of a Lost Lamb, 
has been done as outlined, -it will furnish much valuable 
material for language exercises. The pupils are thoroughly 
at home with the thought content and the form in which 
it is presented. With both content and form in the pos- 
session of the pupils, they are ready to write on any unit 
of the story the teacher may designate. However, it is sug- 
gested that all pupils be required to write on the first unit, 
and it might be well to have them commit to memory the 
third paragraph. The only preliminary exercises that need 
be introduced are drill exercises in spelling, and in com- 
mitting to memory pretty sentences like the following : 

Her footsteps were light as a fairy's, her cheeks were like 

the June roses. 
Her heart was all sunshine. 



192 MODERN METHODS 

One by one the stars are seen in the sky. 

The last Hght of day fades away on the mountain. 

He could not weep, his heart was too full. 

He who takes care of the lambs in the winter storm, will 

take care of your child. 
When he looked down there was only darkness. 

The written exercises need not be limited to mere repro- 
ductions. The following topics, which call for some origi- 
nal work, may be suggestive : 

1. Tell the story of the rescue of Flora as it might have 
been told by Donald, using the pronoun "I." 

2. Tell the story of the rescue as told by one of the men, 
using the pronoun "we." 

3. Tell the story of the day as Flora might have told it, 
using the pronoun *T." 



THE SANDPIPER 

— Celia Thaxter. 

To arouse an interest in the poem, the teacher should 
tell the class how CeHa Thaxter, the author of the poem, 
when a little child, lived with her parents in a lighthouse 
that was situated on a lonely island ; how she loved the 
ocean in its varied moods, and understood the language of 
the winds ; how she loved the sea gulls and the little sand- 
pipers ; how close an observer of nature she was ; and how 
the poem depicts a day out of her childhood. If possible, 
the teacher should show the class a picture of a sandpiper. 

HOW THE POEM SHOULD BE READ 

Throughout the poem there is present the suggestion of 
a bond of sympathy and good fellowship between the little 



READING 193 

girl and the little sandpiper. This should be brought out 
clearly by the thought analysis. It is suggested that the 
teacher read the entire poem expressively to the class before 
introducing the thought analysis. This will help the chil- 
dren to approach the study in a proper attitude of mind. 

Across the lonely beach we flit, 

One little sandpiper and I; 
And fast I gather, bit by bit, 

The scattered driftwood bleached and dry. 
The wild waves reach their hands for it. 

The wild wind raves, the tide runs high, 
As up and down the beach we flit — 

One little sandpiper and I. 

In the opening lines of the poem, the little girl introduces 
herself and the sandpiper in a simple, childlike manner. 
In the reading of the first two lines, the teacher should 
therefore strike the note of simplicity. The next two lines 
should be read more rapidly. In the reading of the fifth 
and sixth lines, the teacher should introduce a slight tone 
of awe. The last two lines should be read in an easy, 
graceful manner, bringing out the rhythm. If the descrip- 
tive word "lonely" and the action word "flit" are express- 
ively spoken, and if the word "'fast" is given the right 
emphasis, and "bit by bit" read in a suggestive way, the 
picture the children should be able to describe will be 
somewhat as follows : 

There is a lonely beach on which driftwood lies scat- 
tered, which has become bleached and dry. The wild wind 
is raving ; the wild waves are coming up close to the drift- 
wood, almost within reach of it. A little girl and a sand- 
piper are seen flitting up and down the beach, the little 
girl collecting the driftwood as fast as she can before the 
tide runs high, while the sandpiper is looking for food. 



194 MODERN METHODS 

If necessary, the teacher may put a few questions to the 
class tc bring out the above picture. 

Above our heads the sullen clouds 

Scud black and swift across the sky; 
Like silent ghosts in misty shrouds 

Stand out the white lighthouses high. 
Almost as far as eye can reach 

I see the close-reefed vessels fly, 
As fast we flit along the beach — 

One little sandpiper and I. 

The teacher should read the first six lines of this stanza 
with the same suggestion of feeling in her voice that she 
introduced into the reading of the fifth and sixth lines of 
the first stanza, and in a manner that will suggest to the 
children that a storm is impending. The last two lines 
should be read exactly as the last two lines in the first 
stanza. This will emphasize the music of these lines. The 
picture suggested by this stanza, being descriptive in char- 
acter, will be a little more difficult for the children to get. 
It may be necessary to ask questions like the following : 

What causes the clouds to "move swiftly" or **scud" 
across the sky? If the word *'scud" is not in the child's 
vocabulary, here is a good chance to put it there. Why are 
the clouds spoken of as sullen? What is a lighthouse? 
What made the lighthouses look like "silent ghosts in misty 
shrouds" ? Have you ever seen a ship with its sails spread 
out full? Have you ever seen one with its sails close- 
reefed? Describe the position of the sails in each instance. 
What causes the vessels to seem to fly ? 

I watch him as he skims along, 

Uttering his sweet and mournful cry; 

He starts not at my fitful song, 
Nor flash of fluttering drapery. 



READING 195 

He has no thought of any wrong; 

He scans me with a fearless eye; 
Stanch friends are we, well tried and strong, 

The little sandpiper and I. 

In this stanza little Celia tells us of the relation between 
herself and the sandpiper, and it should, therefore, be read 
in an easy conversational tone. The teacher, by her read- 
ing, can convey to the class the meaning of "skims," "fitful," 
"flash of fluttering drapery," "scans," "stanch," "well tried 
and strong," If necessary, the meaning of these words 
should be discussed after the teacher has read the stanza. 

The third, fourth and fifth lines should be read in the 
same tone of voice and with the same emphasis. There 
should be a change in the reading of the sixth line. The 
third, fourth and fifth lines tell us what the sandpiper 
does not do, but the sixth line tells us what he does do, and 
therefore requires a different tone and emphasis. The little 
girl pronounces the word "stanch" with a good deal of sin- 
cerity. This should appear in the reading of it. In the 
reading of the last line, the rhythm should be brought out 
as in the last two lines of the first and second stanzas. 

The picture suggested by this stanza is an easy one for 
the children to see. They should be asked to describe it. 

Comrade, where wilt thou be tonight, 

When the loosed storm breaks furiously? 
My driftwood fire will burn so bright; 

To what warm shelter canst thou fly? 
I do not fear for thee, though wroth 

The tempest rushes through the sky; 
For are we not God's children both, 

Thou, little sandpiper, and I? 

The teacher should read this stanza in such a way as to 
bring out the tone of sweet solicitude with which the little 



196 MODERN METHODS 

girl addresses her "comrade;" the tone of reflection, when 
she thinks of her bright driftwood fire; the tone of faith 
with which she assures the sandpiper that she does not fear 
for him, because he, too, is one of God's children ; and the 
tone of love with which she addresses him in the last line, 
the reading of which should become slower and sweeter. 

This stanza deals with what we may consider the thought 
of an adult expressed by a little girl, and in order to get 
the children to understand and appreciate it, it may be 
necessary to ask questions like the following: 

Does the little girl know there will be a great storm dur- 
ing the night ? What makes her think so ? What is meant 
by "the loosed storm breaks furiously"? Is she afraid of 
the storm? What is meant by "wroth the tempest rushes 
through the sky"? Does she fear for her little friend? 
Why not? 

The children should practice reading the poem until the 
teacher is satisfied that they bring out vividly the pic- 
tures, thoughts and feelings suggested by it. 

TRAILING ARBUTUS 

— Whit tier. 

I wandered lonely where the pine trees made 
Against the bitter east their barricade. 

And, guided by its sweet 
Perfume, I found, within a narrow dell. 
The trailing spring flower tinted like a shell, 

Amid dry leaves and mosses at my feet. 

From under dead boughs, for whose loss the pines 
Moaned ceaseless overhead, the blossoming vines 

Lifted their glad surprise. 
While yet the blue bird smoothed in leafless trees, 
His feathers ruffled by the chill sea breeze, 

And snow drifts lingered under April skies. 



READING 197 

* 

The teacher should read the poem expressively to the 
class and call attention to the music and the rhythm. The 
thought analysis should then follow to get the pupils to 
see clearly the pictures suggested by the poem, to the end 
that their reading may reflect their own thoughts and feel- 
ings. Questions like the following may be used: 

What is the sea breeze that Whittier refers to ? What is 
meant by "barricade"? How was the wanderer guided to 
the little arbutus? Why is the idea of ''moaning" asso- 
ciated with pine trees? Describe the blue birds as sug- 
gested by the second stanza. Describe the surroundings of 
the arbutus. What message, do you suppose, did the beau- 
tiful little flower have for the lonely wanderer? Why do 
you like the poem ? 

While the thought analysis is proceeding, pupils may be 
called on to read orally a few lines at a time, and if they 
do not read with sufficient expression, further questions may 
be necessary. 

When the poem has been worked over as suggested, it 
may be advisable for the teacher to encourage pupils to 
abandon themselves to the selection and respond to its 
beautiful thoughts and music, by calling up a picture like 
that suggested by the following: 

Imagine yourself to be in the place of the lonely wan- 
derer. Picture to yourself the barricade of moaning pine 
trees overhead and the dry leaves and mosses at your feet. 
Now, guided by the sweet perfume of the arbutus, imagine 
yourself entering a narrow dell and finding the little flower 
at your feet. 

Pupils should then be asked to read the poem silently and 
then as expressively as they can. Finally it should be com- 
mitted to memory. 



198 MODERN METHODS 

THE UPRISING— 1775 



—■Read. 



Out of the North the wild news came, 
Far flashing on -its wings of flame, 
Swift as the boreal light which flies 
At midnight through the startled skies. 

5 And there was tumult in the air, 

The fife's shrill note, the drum's loud beat, 
And through the wide land everywhere 

The answering tread of hurrying feet, 
While the first oath of Freedom's gun 
10 Came on the blast from Lexington; 
And Concord, roused, no longer tame, 
Forgot her old baptismal name. 
Made bare her patriot arm of power, 
And swelled the discord of the hour. 

15 Within its shades of elm and oak 

The church of Berkeley Manor stood: 
There Sunday found the rural folk. 

And some esteemed of gentle blood. 
In vain their feet with loitering tread 
20 Passed mid the graves where rank is naught; 
All could not read the lesson taught 
In that republic of the dead. 

The pastor rose: the prayer was strong; 

The psalm was Warrior David's song; 

25 The text a few short words of might — 

"The Lord of hosts shall arm the right!" 

He spoke of wrongs too long endured. 

Of sacred rights to be secured; 

Then from his patriot tongue of flame 
30 The startling words for Freedom came. 

The stirring sentences he spake 

Compelled the heart to glow or quake; 

And, rising on his theme's broad wing, 
And grasping in his nervous hand 



READING 199 

35 The imaginary battle brand, 

In face of death he dared to fling 

Defiance to a tyrant king. 

Even as he spoke, his frame, renewed 

In eloquence of attitude, 
40 Rose, as it seemed, a shoulder higher; 

Then swept his kindling glance of fire 

From startled pew to breathless choir; 

When suddenly his mantle wide 

His hands impatient flung aside, 
45 And lo ! he met their wondering eyes 

Complete in all a warrior's guise. 

A moment there was awful pause — 

When Berkeley cried, "Cease, traitor! cease! 
God's temple is the house of peace!" 
50 The other shouted, "Nay, not so. 

When God is with our righteous cause: 
His holiest places then are ours, 
His temples are our forts and towers 
That frown upon a tyrant foe: 
55 In this the dawn of Freedom's day 
There is a time to fight and pray!'* 

And now before the open door — 

The warrior priest had ordered so— 
The enlisting trumpet's sudden roar 
60 Rang through the chapel o'er and o'er. 

Its long reverberating blow. 
So loud and clear it seemed the ear 
Of dusty death must wake and hear. 
And then the startling drum and fife 
65 Fired the living with fiercer life; 
While overhead with wild increase, 
Forgetting its ancient toll of peace, 

The great bell swung as ne'er before: 
It seemed as it would never cease; 
70 And every word its ardor flung 
From off its jubilant iron tongue 

Was, "War! War! War!" 



200 MODERN METHODS 

"Who dares" — this was the patriot's cry, 
As striding from the desk he came — 
75 "Come out with me in Freedom's name, 
For her to Hve, for her to die?" 
A hundred hands flung up reply, 
A hundred voices answered "I !" 

GENERAL PREPARATION 

This poem can best be used with a class that is familiar 
with the events in history which serve as a background for 
it, and which are essential to a thorough appreciation of 
it. In the preparatory discussion, the historical "Rising of 
1775" should be reviewed. The pupils should realize that 
after the policy of conciliation had failed in England, Gen- 
eral Gage planned to destroy the ammunition stored at Con- 
cord; that Paul Revere in his famous ride aroused the 
minutemen of village and farm; that at Lexington and 
Concord and on the retreat to Boston the ''embattled farm- 
ers" showed that they could attack and defeat veteran 
English troops ; and that the effect of this "glorious day" 
on the people showed itself by the appearance within a 
short time of over sixteen thousand minutemen, ready to 
drive the British from Boston. A map of the United 
States should be used in connection with the study of the 
historical events suggested by the poem. 

READING OF THE POEM BY TEACHER 

After this preparatory discussion, the teacher should read 
the entire poem to the class. To do this well, the teacher 
must appreciate the patriotism and love for liberty that 
showed itself in the young minister's successful effort in 
inducing the members of his congregation to enlist in the 
war and to help their brethren in the North. 



READING 201 

THOUGHT ANALYSIS 

The expressive reading by the teacher should be followed 
by a critical analysis of the poem. This should result in a 
thorough appreciation of the thought and feeling which will 
enable the pupils to read the poem expressively. 

After pupils have read the first stanza silently, questions 
like the following should be considered : 

What was the "wild news" referred to in the first line ? 
Why "wild news," and how could the news come on ''wings 
of flame" ? What is meant by "boreal light" ? 

After this analysis pupils should read the first four lines 
expressively. In reading the first stanza, it may be neces- 
sary to help pupils in securing the proper phrasing. The 
thought suggests rhetorical pauses after each of the words, 
"North," "came," "flashing," "flame," "swift," "light," 
"midnight" and "skies." Unless pupils thoroughly appre- 
ciate the fact that the words "which flies at midnight" con- 
stitute a unit, they are apt to make a pause after the word 
"flies," which would destroy the naturalness of the lines. 
In spite of the careful thought analysis, it will probably be 
necessary for the teacher to read the first stanza several 
times to arouse the pupils and thus lead them to put forth 
their best efforts. 

The first step in the study of the next stanza should be 
the silent reading of it by the pupils. 

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS 

Describe the picture suggested by the first six lines of the 
second stanza ; the picture suggested by the last four lines. 
It will probably be necessary for the teacher to make clear 
that the first and second stanzas suggest what was going on 
in most of the colonies, and especially in New England, as 



202 MODERN METHODS 

a preparation for the coming struggle. Why "first oath of 
Freedom's gun"? What does the word **Concord" mean? 
What does line 12 mean? 

Now should come the expressive reading of the second 
stanza. Again it is suggested that the teacher and pupils 
must work together in securing the end sought. How 
should the fifth line be read? Why the emphasis on 
"tumult"? The words in the sixth line should be read in 
such a way that they may suggest the sound of the fife and 
drum. Why should "everywhere" be read slowly, yet with 
considerable volume? The expressive reading of this stanza 
should bring out clearly the climax of the first six lines and 
that of the last four lines. It may be necessary to give a 
rhetorical drill on the important words in this stanza. 

FORMAL ASSIGNMENT 

Probably this is all that the teacher can accomplish in one 
day. In the formal assignment the pupils should be urged 
to read these two stanzas several times aloud at home as a 
preparation for the next day's recitation. The teacher 
should urge her pupils in their home reading to abandon 
themselves to the thoughts and feelings of the selection, to 
the end that they may read the stanzas in a spirited way. 

THE SECOND DAY 

The first part of the recitation period should be devoted 
to the expressive reading of the first fourteen lines. The 
best readers should be called on first. A great effort must 
be made by the teacher to have pupils get rid of their timid- 
ity so that they will throw their whole soul into the reading. 
To inspire pupils to do their best, it may be necessary for 
the teacher to read these lines expressively a few times 
during the recitation. 



READING 203 

Pupils should read the next eight lines silently. The 
contrast between the picture suggested by these lines and 
the preceding stanzas should be brought out. What is the 
meaning of the twenty-first and twenty-second lines? 

Pupils should then be called on to read these lines express- 
ively. Then a part of the preceding stanza should be read, 
together with the lines just studied, to bring out the con- 
trast referred to. 

Pupils should be asked to practice the oral reading of 
these parts of the poem at home. 

THE THIRD DAY 

The parts of the poem that have been studied should be 
read expressively, in class. Most of the time, however, 
should be devoted to the thought analysis of the lines 23 to 
46, inclusive. 

To whom does the twenty -third line introduce us? Do 
you know the psalm referred to? Why do you suppose 
the pastor chose the words in the twenty-sixth line for his 
text? What were some of the wrongs he referred to? 
The sacred rights to be secured? What thought is sug- 
gested by line 33? What is the significance of the thirty- 
sixth and thirty-seventh lines? What effect had his "kin- 
dling glance of fire" on his congregation? Explain the 
last four lines of the fourth stanza. What do they suggest 
as to the minister's own patriotism and courage? Was he 
willing to do what he was about to ask members of his 
congregation to do? Pupils should read lines 23 to 46 
expressively. 

The forty-seventh line suggests a rhetorical pause after 
the forty-sixth line. Who, do you suppose, was Berkeley? 
Put yourself in Berkeley the Tory's place, and then read 
the first three lines of the fifth stanza. Imagine yourself 



204 MODERN METHODS 

the preacher, and read his reply. Berkeley was angry; the 
minister justly indignant and actuated by a noble and 
patriotic purpose. Two of the best readers should be 
selected, one to read Berkeley's declaration, the other the 
minister's reply. 

The assignment for the next day should call for oral 
reading at home of the parts of the poem thus far studied 
in class, and if there is a study period for reading in 
school, pupils may be required to study the rest of the 
poem, basing their work on questions like these: 

Why, do you suppose, did the minister arrange to have 
the trumpet, drum and fife sounded just when he did? 
How could these musical instruments "fire the living with 
fiercer life"? What word in the seventy-first line sug- 
gests how the next line should be rendered? Read lines 
70 to 73 and put the same ardor into your reading that the 
sexton put into the ringing of his bell. However, save 
your voice for the grand climax of the poem, which is con- 
tained in the last six lines. Be careful not to include 
explanatory words and phrases in this climax. Your read- 
ing must make the climax stand out clear and strong. If 
you bear in mind that a hundred voices answered "I," how 
much volume must your reading suggest in pronouncing "I" ? 

EXPRESSIVE READING 

This completes the formal work on the poem, but the 
next day and each succeeding day for several weeks a part 
of each day should be devoted to the expressive reading of 
this beautiful poem. If this is done, it will be found that 
pupils will have learned more by the study and reading of 
this one selection than they have by the reading of a dozen 
selections that did not call for the kind of effort this patri- 
otic, soul-inspiring poem demands. 



READING 205 









A^cyCZ^ ff^'p'^thX ^^-^io^ ^Ld ^ .^AyCt,aJC^/UJZ^t^ 
e^t&^^ ift^f^ eA4<//H^g^ cayiAm:en gTTr ■ .* ccr«/ ca/u^ (h^€^ 

^^B^i^iSn^t^ /^^£S eC^Z^'^^^sC^t (^^>^^0<^«O /^SVC^^^^i^Ar 



206 MODERN METHODS 

thjB^ot/T .^nf/^V WmcXt "f^^uf oCCau ^^e^Kjo. ^£cAS'^Af^ 



JItSymM^ /^^ J9CS. 

Note: A monument had been erected on the battlefield of 
Gettysburg to the soldiers who had died on that field. On No- 
vember 19 the battlefield was dedicated as a soldiers' cemetery. 
On this occasion Edward Everett was chosen to deliver the prin- 
cipal oration. It was a scholarly and masterly effort, but it was 
destined to be crowded into oblivion by a simple oration of ten 



READING 207 

sentences delivered by President Lincoln, who followed the orator 
of the day. The President's voice was not strong, so that not 
more than a few hundred people heard him on that day, but the 
oration immediately took a permanent place as a classic in English 
literature. 

THOUGHT ANALYSIS 

A great writer has said, 'Tor its quiet depth of feeling 
and solemn beauty of expression, this speech is rightly 
regarded as one of the great masterpieces of English prose." 
It is well for the teacher to have in mind the thought in the 
above sentence while conducting the thought analysis of the 
address. 

FIRST PARAGRAPH 

Why was the Battle of Gettysburg of such importance? 

What authority is there for the declaration that the 
fathers of our nation dedicated it to the proposition "that 
all men are created equal"? This phrase is used in the 
Declaration of Independence. Find it. 

Why, do you suppose, did Lincoln prefer the expression 
"Fourscore and seven years ago," to "Eighty-seven years 
ago" ? 

SECOND PARAGRAPH 

What was the real purpose of the Civil War? In August, 
1862, President Lincoln wrote, "If I could save the Union 
without freeing any slave, I would do it ; if I could save the 
Union by freeing all the slaves, I would do it. . . . What- 
ever I do about slavery and the colored race, I do because 
I believe it helps save the Union." Was this written before 
or after Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation? 
What light does this quotation throw on Lincoln's attitude 
toward the South and slavery? 



208 MODERN METHODS 

THIRD PARAGRAPH 

Define "dedicate," "consecrate" and "hallow." Why did 
Lincoln use the words in this order? What is the meaning 
and force of *'in a larger sense" ? 

What does the second sentence mean? Was Lincoln 
right or wrong in his prophecy as contained in the third 
sentence ? 

What cause is referred to in the fourth sentence ? What 
is meant by "last full measure of devotion"? What is the 
force of "under God" ? What is meant by "a new birth of 
freedom"? What is the force of the phrases "of the 
people," "by the people" and "for the people" ? Had there 
been republics in the world before ours was conceived? 
Is there any danger that government of the people, by the 
people and for the people may disappear in this country? 
If so, how can popular, common education help to avert 
such a catastrophe? 

Explain how the simplicity of the language used by Lin- 
coln increases the force and effectiveness of the address. 

Read and reread the address expressively and then com- 
mit it to memory. 

A SELECTION FROM RIP VAN WINKLE 

— Washington Irving. 

Whoever has made a voyage up the Hudson must remember the 
Kaatskill Mountains. They are a dismembered branch of the 
great Appalachian family, and are seen away to the west of the 
river, swelling up to a noble height, and lording it over the sur- 
rounding country. Every change of season, every change of 
weather, indeed every hour of the day, produces some change in 
the magical hues and shapes of these mountains ; and they are 
regarded by all the good wives, far and near, as perfect barometers. 
When the weather is fair and settled, they are clothed in blue and 



READING 209 

purple, and print their bold outlines on the clear evening sky, but 
sometimes, when the rest of the landscape is cloudless, they will 
gather a hood of gray vapors about their summits, which, in the 
last rays of the setting sun, will glow and light up like a crown 
of glory. 

Why are the Kaatskill Mountains called a "dismembered 
branch" of the Appalachian family? Use your geogra- 
phies in determining the reason. Why did Irving intro- 
duce the word "away" in the second sentence?- What 
change does it make in the picture? Consult your maps 
again. What is meant by "they are regarded as perfect 
barometers"? What is the force of "far and near"? Have 
you ever seen hills "print their outlines on the clear evening 
sky" ? Describe what you saw. What is meant by a "hood 
of gray vapors" ? Read the last sentence carefully and then 
describe the picture which it suggests. 

At the foot of these fairy mountains, the voyager may have 
descried the light smoke curling up from a village, whose shingle- 
roofs gleam among trees, just where the blue tints of the upland 
melt away into the fresh green of the nearer landscape. It is a 
little village, of great antiquity, having been founded by some of 
the Dutch colonists, in the early times of the province, just about 
the beginning of the government of the good Peter Stuyvesant 
(may he rest in peace!), and there were some of the houses of 
the original settlers standing within a few years, built of small 
yellow bricks brought from Holland, having latticed windows and 
gable fronts, surmounted with weather-cocks. 

Substitute a word for "descried." When was New 
Amsterdam founded? Who was Peter Stuyvesant? Why 
do you suppose Irving throws in the phrase, "may he rest 
in peace"? What are "latticed windows" and "gable 
fronts" ? Describe the village as pictured in this paragraph. 

In that same village, and in one of these very houses (which, to 
tell the precise truth, was sadly time-worn and weather-beaten), 



210 MODERN METHODS 

there lived many years since, while the country was yet a province 
of Great Britain, a simple, good-natured fellow, of the name of 
Rip Van Winkle. He was a descendant of the Van Winkles who 
figured so gallantly in the chivalrous days of Peter Stuyvesant, 
and accompanied him to the siege of Fort Christina. He inherited, 
however, but little of the martial character of his ancestors. 

The first two paragraphs constitute the setting for the 
description of Rip Van Winkle. Point out some expres- 
sions which suggest that Irving is treating his subject in a 
half-humorous, half-serious way. What effect does he wish 
to produce on his readers by the use of the word "very"? 
Were the days of Peter Stuyvesant really "chivalrous 
days"? Was the so-called siege of Fort Christina a mem- 
orable one? What does the last sentence mean? 

I have observed that he was a simple, good-natured man; he 
was,, moreover, a kind neighbor, and an obedient hen-pecked hUvS- 
band. Indeed, to the latter circumstance might be owing that 
meekness of spirit which gained him such universal popularity; 
for those men are most apt to be obsequious and conciliating 
abroad, who are under the discipline of shrews at home. Their 
tempers, doubtless, are rendered pliant and malleable in the fiery 
furnace of domestic tribulation, and a curtain lecture is worth all 
the sermons in the world for teaching the virtues of patience and 
long-sufifering. A termagant wife may, therefore, in some respects, 
be considered a tolerable blessing; and if so. Rip Van Winkle was 
thrice blessed. 

Select the adjectives that help to give us an idea of Rip 
Van Winkle's personality. What is meant by "obsequi- 
ous" and "conciliating"? "Termagant wife"? Describe 
the humor suggested by the words "thrice blessed." 

Certain it is, that he was a great favorite among all the good 
wives of the village, who, as usual with the amiable sex, took his 
part in all family squabbles ; and never failed, whenever they talked 
those matters over in their evening gossipings, to lay all the blame 



READING 211 

on Dame Van Winkle. The children of the village, too, would 
shout with joy whenever he approached. He assisted at their 
sports, made their playthings, taught them to fly kites and shoot 
marbles, and told them long stories of ghosts, witches and Indians. 
Whenever he went dodging about the village, he was surrounded 
by a troop of them hanging on his skirts, clambering on his back, 
and playing a thousand tricks on him with impunity; and not a 
dog would bark at him throughout the neighborhood. 

Why did the women and children like Rip? Did the 
women really respect him ? Why did he go "dodging" about 
the village ? What idea does Irving desire to convey by the 
part of the last sentence after the semicolon? 

The great error in Rip's composition was an insuperable aver- 
sion to all kinds of profitable labor. It could not be from the 
want of assiduity or perseverance; for he would sit on a wet rock, 
with a rod as long and heavy as a Tartar's lance, and fish all day 
without a murmur, even though he should not be encouraged by 
a single nibble. He would carry a fowhng piece on his shoulder 
for hours together, trudging through woods and swamps, and up 
hill and down dale, to shoot a few squirrels or wild pigeons. He 
would never refuse to assist a neighbor, even in the roughest toil, 
and was a foremost man at all country frolics for husking Indian 
corn or building stone fences. The women of the village, too, used 
to employ him to run their errands, and to do such little odd jobs 
as their less obliging husbands would not do for them. In a word. 
Rip was ready to attend to anybody's business but his own; but 
as to doing family duty, and keeping his farm in order, he found 
it impossible. 

What does the first sentence mean? Why do you sup- 
pose Irving used such "big" words in expressing the 
thought he had in mind? What is the meaning of "assidu- 
ity," "perseverance"? What idea as to Rip's willingness 
to work does the author seem to convey in this paragraph ? 
Does he mean it? Did Rip really help his neighbors? 
What does the last sentence suggest to you? 



212 MODERN METHODS 

Why do you like the selection ? Point out some of the 
touches of pathos and humor that particularly appeal to 
you. Find out all you can about Irving's style as a writer 
and be ready to report on it in class. 

A SELECTION FROM LONGFELLOW'S EVANGELINE 

1 This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the 

hemlocks, 

2 Bearded with moss, and in garments green, indistinct in the 

twilight, 

3 Stand like Druids of eld, with voices sad and prophetic, 

4 Stand like harpers hoar, with beards that rest on their bosoms. 

5 Loud from its rocky caverns, the deep-voiced neighboring ocean 

6 Speaks, and in accents disconsolate answers the wail of the 

forest. 

Who were the Acadians? Describe their expulsion 
from their country by the English. Read the selection in 
its entirety and name the successive pictures suggested 
to you. 

What is meant by "the forest primeval"? Show that 
"murmuring" and "bearded" are used appropriately. What 
is meant by the "Druids of Eld" ? What words in the third 
line prepare us for a tragedy? 

Describe the picture of the "forest primeval" as it appears 
to you. What is meant by "rocky caverns of the ocean"? 
"The deep-voiced ocean"? Add to your picture of the 
forest primeval that of the neighboring ocean. How does 
that intensify the somberness of the picture ? 

7 This is the forest primeval; but where are the hearts that 

beneath it 

8 Leaped like the roe, when he hears in the woodland the voice 

of the huntsman? 

9 Where is the thatch-roofed village, the home of Acadian 

farmers, — 



READING 213 

10 Men whose lives glided on like rivers that water the woodlands, 

11 Darkened by shadows of earth, but reflecting an image of 

heaven ? 

12 Waste are those pleasant farms, and the farmers forever de- 

parted ! 

13 Scattered like dust and leaves, when the mighty blasts of 

October 

14 Seize them, and whirl them aloft, and sprinkle them far o'er 

the ocean, 

15 Naught but tradition remains of the beautiful village of Grand- 

Pre. 

What picture is suggested by *'thatch-roofed village"? 
What is meant by "Darkened by shadows of earth but 
reflecting an image of heaven" ? Contrast the picture sug- 
gested by the last four lines with that suggested by the 
first five lines. How does the author bring out the con- 
trast? How did he prepare us for it? Describe the two 
pictures suggested by the above. 

16 Ye who believe in affection that hopes, and endures, and is 

patient, 

17 Ye who believe in the beauty and strength of woman's devotion, 

18 List to the mournful tradition still sung by the pines of the 

forest ; 

19 List to a Tale of Love in Acadia, home of the happy. 

In line 17 what tribute does the poet pay to woman? 
Read aloud the last two lines of the prelude. What con- 
stitutes the musical element here? Why do you like the 
idea of the "mournful tradition" being sung by the pines? 
Learn to read expressively the entire prelude and then 
commit it to memory. 

PART THE FIRST 

20 Li the Acadian land, on the shores of the Basin of Minas, 

21 Distant, secluded, still, the little village of Grand-Pre 



214 MODERN METHODS 

22 Lay in the fruitful valley. Vast meadows stretched to the 

eastward, 

23 Giving the village its name, and pasture to flocks without 

number. 

24 Dikes, that the hands of the farmers had raised with labor 

incessant, 

25 Shut out the turbulent tides; but at stated seasons the flood- 

gates 

26 Opened and welcomed the sea to wander at will o'er the 

meadows. 

27 West and south there were fields of flax, and orchards and 

cornfields 

28 Spreading afar and unfenced o'er the plain; and away to the 

northward 

29 Blomidon rose, and the forest old, and aloft on the mountains 

30 Sea-fogs pitched their tents, and mists from the mighty Atlantic 

31 Looked on the happy valley, but ne'er from their station de- 

scended. 

Where is the Basin of Minas? Where was Grand-Pre 
located? What is meant by ''turbulent tides"? "Flood 
gates"? "Welcoming the sea to wander at will o'er the 
meadows"? What is meant by "sea fogs pitched their 
tents" ? Describe the surroundings of the village of Grand- 
Pre. 

32 There, in the midst of its farms, reposed the Acadian village. 

33 Strongly built were the houses, with frames of oak and of 

hemlock, 

34 Such as the peasants of Normandy built in the reign of the 

Henries. 

35 Thatched were the roofs, with dormer windows; and gables 

projecting 

36 Over the basement below protected and shaded the doorway. 

Where is Normandy? Why did the Acadians build 
houses like those built by the peasants of Normandy? 
Describe the dormer windows. What is meant by "gables" ? 
Describe an Acadian house. 



READING 215 

yj There in the tranquil evenings of summer, when brightly the 
sunset 

38 Lighted the village street, and gilded the vanes on the chimneys, 

39 Matrons and maidens sat in snow-white caps and in kirtles 

40 Scarlet and blue and green, with distafifs spinning the golden 

41 Flax for the gossiping looms, whose noisy shuttles within doors 

42 Mingled their sound with the whir of the wheels and songs of 

the maidens. 

43 Solemnly down the street came the parish priest, and the chil- 

dren 

44 Paused in their play to kiss the hand he extended to bless them. 

45 Reverend walked he among them; and up rose matrons and 

maidens, 

46 Hailing his slow approach with words of affectionate welcome. 

47 Then came the laborers home from the field, and serenely the 

sun sank 

48 Down to his rest, and twilight prevailed. Anon from the belfry 

49 Softly the Angelus sounded, and over the roofs of the village 

50 Columns of pale blue smoke, like clouds of incense ascending, 

51 Rose from a hundred hearths, the homes of peace and content- 

ment. 

52 Thus dwelt together in love these simple Acadian farmers,— 

53 Dwelt in the love of God and of man. Alike were they 'free 

from 

54 Fear, that reigns with the tyrant, and envy, the vice of republics. 

55 Neither locks had they to their doors, nor bars to their windows ; 

56 But their dwellings were open as day and the hearts of the 

owners ; 

57 There the richest was poor, and the poorest lived in abundance. 

What is meant by "tranquil evenings of summer" ? What 
are "vanes" ? "Kirtles" ? "Distafifs" ? "Looms" ? "Shut- 
tles"? What does "twilight prevailed" mean? Read, 
beginning with the thirty-seventh line, to "twilight pre- 
vailed," in the forty-eighth line. Describe the sunset and 
what it did. Describe the dress of the matrons and maidens, 
and tell what they were doing. Picture the children at 
play. 



216 MODERN METHODS 

Describe the village priest and tell what happened when 
he came along the village street. 

What is meant by the ''Angelus" ? What did the people 
do when they heard the Angelus? What is meant by 
"clouds of incense" ? What does the last line tell us ? 

Sum up the characteristics of an Acadian village and its 
people. 

58 Somewhat apart from the village, and nearer the Basin of 

Minas, 

59 Benedict Bellefontaine, the wealthiest farmer of Grand-Pre, 

60 Dwelt on his goodly acres ; and with him, directing his house- 

hold, 

61 Gentle Evangeline lived, his child, and the pride of the village. 

62 Stalwart and stately in form was the man of seventy winters; 

63 Hearty and hale was he, an oa'k that is covered with snow-flakes ; 

64 White as the snow were his locks, and his cheeks as brown as 

the oak-leaves. 

65 Fair was she to behold, that maiden of seventeen summers; 

66 Black were her eyes as the berry that grows on the thorn by 

the wayside, 

67 Black, yet how softly they gleamed beneath the brown shade of 

her tresses ! 

68 Sweet was her breath as the breath of kine that feed in the 

meadows. 

69 When in the harvest heat she bore to the reapers at noontide 

70 Flagons of home-brewed ale, ah ! fair in sooth was the maiden. 

71 Fairer was she when, on Sunday morn, while the bell from its 

turret 

72 Sprinkled with holy sounds the air, as the priest with his hyssop 

73 Sprinkles the congregation, and scatters blessings upon them, 

74 Down the long street she passed, with her chaplet of beads and 

her missal, 

75 Wearing her Norman cap and her kirtle of blue, and the ear- 

rings 

76 Brought in the olden time from France, and since, as an heir- 

loom, 

77 Handed down from mother to child, through long ger.erations. 



READING 217 

78 But a celestial brightness— a more ethereal beauty— 

79 Shone on her face and encircled her form, when, after con- 

fession, 

80 Homeward serenely she walked with God's benediction upon 

her. 

81 When she had passed, it seemed like the ceasing of exquisite 

music. 

Read from line 58 to 64, inclusive. What is meant by 
"goodly acres"? What is the effect of the alliteration in 
lines 62 and 63? Why is the comparison of Benedict 
Bellefontaine to an oak covered with snow-flakes a good 
one? 

Describe Benedict Bellefontaine. What is meant by 
"hyssop"? "A chaplet of beads"? "Missal"? 

Read from line 78 to 81, inclusive. What is meant by 
"celestial brightness"? "Ethereal beauty"? 

Describe Evangeline as she appeared walking homeward 
after confession. 

82 Firmly builded with rafters of oak, the house of the farmer 

83 Stood on the side of a hill commanding the sea; and a shady 

84 Sycamore grew by the door, with a woodbine wreathing 

around it. 

85 Rudely carved was the porch, with seats beneath; and a foot- 

path 

86 Led through an orchard wide, and disappeared in the meadow. 

87 Under the sycamore-tree were hives overhung by a penthouse, 

88 Such as the traveler sees in regions remote by the roadside, 

89 Built o'er a box for the poor, or the blessed image of Mary.^ 

90 Farther down, on the slope of the hill, was the well with its 

moss-grown 

91 Bucket, fastened with iron, and near it a trough for the horses. 

92 Shielding the house from storms, on the north, were the barns 

and the farm-yard; 

93 There stood the broad-wheeled wains and the antique ploughs 

and the harrows; 



218 MODERN METHODS 

94 There were the folds for the sheep; and there, in his feathered 

seraglio, 

95 Strutted the lordly turkey, and crowed the cock, with the self- 

same 

96 Voice that in ages of old had startled the penitent Peter. 

97 Bursting with hay were the barns, themselves a village. In each 

one 

98 Far o'er the gable projected a roof of thatch; and a staircase, 

99 Under the sheltering eaves, led up to the odorous corn-loft. 

100 There too the dove-cot stood, with its meek and innocent 

inmates 

101 Murmuring ever of love; while above in the variant breezes, 

102 Numberless noisy weathercocks rattled and sang of mutation. 

What does "barns bursting with hay" mean? This fact, 
together with the fact that the barns themselves formed a 
village, is significant of what ? What does ''odorous" 
mean? What are some of the virtues ascribed by poets to 
the little "dove" ? What does the last line mean ? Describe 
the farmhouse. Describe the well and the barns. Describe 
the entire picture suggested by the above. 

103 Thus, at peace with God and the world, the farmer of Grand- 

Pre 

104 Lived on his sunny farm, and Evangeline governed his house- 

hold. 

105 Many a youth, as he knelt in the church and opened his missal, 

106 Fixed his eyes upon her as the saint of his deepest devotion; 

107 Happy was he who might touch her hand or the hem of her 

garment ! 

108 Many a suitor came to her door, by the darkness befriended, 

109 And, as he knocked and waited to hear the sound of her foot- 

steps, 
no Knew not which beat the louder, his heart or the knocker of 
iron; 

111 Or, at the joyous feast of the Patron Saint of the village, 

112 Bolder grew, and pressed her hand in the dance as he whispered 

113 Hurried words of love, that seemed a part of the music. 



READING 219 

114 But among all who came young Gabriel only was welcome. 

115 Gabriel Lajeunesse, the son of Basil the blacksmith, 

116 Who was a mighty man in the village, and the honored of all 

men; 

117 For since the birth of time, throughout all ages and nations, 

118 Has the craft of the smith been held in repute by the people. 

119 Basil was Benedict's friend. Their children from earliest child- 

hood 

120 Grew up together as brother and sister; and Father Felician, 

121 Priest and pedagogue both in the village, had taught them their 

letters 

122 Out of the selfsame book, with the hymns of the church and 

the plainsong, 

123 But when the hymn was sung, and the daily lesson completed, 

124 Swiftly they hurried away to the forge of Basil the blacksmith. 

125 There at the door they stood, with wondering eyes to behold 

him 

126 Take in his leathern lap the hoof of the horse as a plaything, 

127 Nailing the shoe in its place; while near him the tire of the 

cartwheel 

128 Lay like a fiery snake, coiled round in a circle of cinders. 

129 Oft on autumnal eves, when without in the gathering darkness 

130 Bursting with light seemed the smithy, through every cranny 

and crevice, 

131 Warm by the forge within they watched the laboring bellows, 

132 And as its panting ceased, and the sparks expired in the ashes, 

133 Merrily laughed, and said they were nuns going into the chapel. 

134 Oft on sledges in winter, as swift as the swoop of the eagle, 

135 Down the hillside bounding, they glided away o'er the meadow, 

136 Oft in the barns they climbed to the populous nests on the 

rafters, 

137 Seeking with eager eyes that wondrous stone, which the swallow 

138 Brings from the shore of the sea to restore the sight of its 

fledglings ; 

139 Lucky was he who found that stone in the nest of the swallow ! 

140 Thus passed a few swift years, and they no longer were children. 

141 He was a valiant youth, and his face, like the face of the 

morning, 

142 Gladdened the earth with its light, and ripened thought into 

action. 



220 MODERN METHODS 

143 She was a woman now, with the heart and hopes of a woman. 

144 "Sunshine of Saint Eulalie" was she called; for that was the 

sunshine 

145 Which, as the farmers believed, would load their orchards with 

apples ; 

146 She too would bring to her husband's house delight and 

abundance, 

147 Filling it with love and the ruddy faces of children. 

What is the meaning of "sunny farm" in line 104' 
What does "by the darkness befriended" mean, in line 108? 
What is meant by the "joyous feast of the Patron Saint of 
the village," in line 1 1 1 ? Why v^as Basil the blacksmith 
honored of all men? Describe Basil the blacksmith. How 
came it that in this village of Grand-Pre the priest was also 
the pedagogue? 

Describe Evangeline and Gabriel at school. 

Describe what they saw at the forge of Basil the black- 
smith. 

Describe their sports in winter. 

Tell how they climbed to the populous nests on the 
rafters, and why. 

Describe Gabriel and Evangeline when they had grown to 
manhood and womanhood. 



AT THE OPEN CHAPEL 

A young physician was fond of taking long walks in unfrequented 
places. At one time, while passing through a dense forest near a 
cloister, he was overtaken by darkness. Just as he was about to 
turn back there were wafted toward him the exquisite notes of a 
beautiful song. For a moment he stopped and reverently listened. 

Then walking in the direction whence the tones appeared to come, 
he perceived a light faintly glimmering through the dark foliage 
of the trees. Soon his gaze rested on a pathetically beautiful scene. 

Before him was an open chapel, on the altar wall of which was 



READING 221 

the picture of the Madonna, painted in living colors. Under the 
picture flowed a tiny silvery stream, which issued from the mouth of 
an artistically carved lion's head. A lamp, suspended from the ceil- 
ing by means of a chain, illumined the interior of the medieval 
chapel and threw its mellow light on two people who were kneeling 
before the holy picture and singing a psalm. The one was a frail 
young girl whose dress, though neat and clean, suggested extreme 
poverty; the other an old blind peasant whose sightless eyes were 
raised toward the picture of the Virgin. The deep shadows of the 
chestnut forest served as a fitting background for this strange scene. 

For a time the young physician stood as though transfixed. Then, 
concealed behind the trunk of a large tree, he unconsciously joined 
in the song, his voice mingling with the clear tones of the girl and 
the deep bass notes of the old man. 

When the psalm was ended the girl turned her beautiful face 
toward heaven and prayed fervently to God to restore the sight to 
her father's eyes. At the close of the prayer she suddenly became 
aware of the presence of the stranger, who, advancing slowly toward 
them, asked the old man how long he had been blind. "For five 
years," answered the old man with a deep sigh, "I have lived in 
total darkness." "We have," said the young girl, "tried many 
remedies, but all in vain. We feel now that only God can help 
him." 

The physician examined the eyes carefully and discovered that 
the old man's blindness was curable. Grasping the child and the 
old man by the hand he spoke with happy assurance : "Just as God 
sent an angel to the holy Tobias to restore his sight to him, so am 
I, for you, a heaven-sent messenger. Your ailment, dear sir, can 
be cured. With God's help you will soon again see the light of 
day." 

The old man pressed the hand of the young physician to his breast, 
and the girl sank on her knees in silent prayer. They then went to 
the home of the surgeon, and within a short time an operation was 
performed on the old man's eyes, and his sight was restored to him. 



222 MODERN METHODS 

THOUGHT ANALYSIS 
FIRST PARAGRAPH 

After a pupil has read the first paragraph and its sub- 
stance has been given by another pupil, the teacher may ask 
questions like the following: What is a cloister? What do 
you think is meant by "exquisite notes of a beautiful song" ? 
What effect did the singing have on the physician? In 
reading this paragraph, the teacher should pay particular 
attention to the last sentence. It should be read in a way 
to suggest to the pupils that they stop with the traveler and 
"reverently listen" to the imagined exquisite notes. 

SECOND PARAGRAPH 

The last sentence puts us in an attitude of expectancy. 
It tells us that the man gazed upon a beautiful scene and 
the word "pathetically" suggests the touch of pathos in the 
scene. Care must be exercised in reading the last three 
words. 

THIRD PARAGRAPH 

This paragraph is almost wholly descriptive. While the 
pupils have their books closed, the teacher should read the 
paragraph in such a way that the pupils cannot help but 
picture in their imagination the scene the artist writer sug- 
gests. However, the accuracy of the first picture the pupils 
get needs to be tested; hence, questions like the following 
should be asked: 

What, do you suppose, is an "open chapel"? "Altar 
wall" ? "Picture of the Madonna in living colors" ? "Artis- 
tically carved"? "Medieval chapel"? "Mellow light"? 

The pupils must see all the details mentioned that form 



READING 223 

a part of the chapel, and then they should describe the 
chapel, together with the two people kneeling in it. 

FOURTH PARAGRAPH 

This paragraph does not call for the same artistic treat- 
ment that the previous one does. There is just one thought 
that the pupils must thoroughly appreciate; namely, that 
the music had entered the young man's soul or he would 
not have been "transfixed," nor would he ^'unconsciously" 
have joined in the song. The key words naturally are 
"transfixed" and "unconsciously." 

FIFTH PARAGRAPH 

In the third paragraph the author did not mention the 
beauty of the young girl. Can you assign a reason for his 
not doing so? What made her face more beautiful now 
than ever? We find the answer to this question in the 
thought expressed in the last sentence. Why did the man 
advance "slowly" toward the old man and his daughter? 

SIXTH PARAGRAPH 

Was the physician a modest man? A religious man? 
What makes you think so? Why did he compare himself 
to the angel sent by God to the holy Tobias? 

SEVENTH PARAGRAPH 

In this paragraph the first sentence expresses sentiment 
and a deep feeling of gratitude. The second simply states 
a fact which we have naturally expected; hence the two 
sentences must be read quite differently. If you are over- 
come with feeling and emotion, you are apt to give expres- 
sion to it in a look or an action, rather than in words. 



224 MODERN METHODS 

THE SELECTION AS A WHOLE 

Try to picture the entire scene or scenes suggested by the 
description, which is mixed with narration, as follows : 

The physician near a cloister, the song and its effect 
on him. 

His walking in the direction of the light, and what his 
eyes rested upon. 

The open chapel with the altar wall, the picture of the 
Madonna, the silvery stream, the lamp, the blind peasant 
and his daughter, the fitting background, the song. 

He stands transfixed, and joins in the song. 

He advances toward the old man and the girl, and asks a 
question. 

He is a physician and exercises his calling; his reference 
to the angel; his welcome diagnosis. 

The effect of his words on the man, the girl. 

Sight is restored to the old man. 

Describe the successive pictures. 



THE STUDY OF AN ORATION 

Some of the best work in expressive reading can be done 
by using orations. The oration, unlike many other forms 
of literature, is written to be spoken and heard. It is cal- 
culated to stir the multitude to action; hence it appeals to 
the feelings. 

The preparation suggested for reading an oration demands 
first of all that the reader thoroughly understand the 
thought and argument. Then it is necessary for him to 
abandon himself to the thought and feeling and imagine 
himself to be the man or woman who gave the oration on 
the occasion that called it into being. 



READING 225 

The following speech was delivered by Patrick Henry, 
March 26, 1775, in the second Revolutionary state conven- 
tion which met at Richmond, Virginia. It was made in 
support of a motion to adopt resolutions he had introduced, 
which demanded ''that the colony of Virginia be immedi- 
ately put into a position of defence, and that a committee 
be appointed to prepare a plan for enlisting, arming and 
disciplining such a number of men as may be sufficient for 
that purpose." The resolutions were carried, and Henry 
was made chairman of the committee provided for by the 
resolutions. 

AFTER ALL, WE MUST FIGHT 

No man, Mr. President, thinks more highly than I do of the 
patriotism, as well as the abihties, of the very honorable gentlemen 
who have just addressed the house. But different men often see 
the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will 
not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen, if, entertaining, as 
I do, opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I should speak 
forth my sentiments freely, and without reserve. This is no time 
for ceremony. The question before the house is one of awful 
moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing 
less than a question of freedom or slavery. And in proportion to 
the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. 
It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill 
the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. 
Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of 
giving offence, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards 
my country, and of an act of disloyalty towards the Majesty of 
Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings. 

Who were the honorable gentlemen referred to in the 
opening sentences? Were they in favor of the resolutions 
or opposed to them? What is the special significance of 
"This is no time for ceremony" ? In what respect was the 
question of the resolutions one of "awful moment" to the 



226 MODERN METHODS 

country? Had other colonies preceded Virginia in prepar- 
ing to defend themselves against England ? 

Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of 
Hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and 
listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. 
Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous strug- 
gle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those 
who, having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, the things 
which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, 
whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the 
whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it. 

What is meant by "to indulge in the illusions of hope"? 
What adventure of Ulysses is suggested by the second sen- 
tence? What is meant by ''arduous struggle"? What is 
meant by "temporal salvation" ? What is the special sig- 
nificance of "I am willing to know the whole truth; to 
know the worst, and to provide for it" ? 

I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the 
lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future 
but by the past. And, judging by the past, I wish to know what 
there has been in the conduct of the British ministry, for the last 
ten years, to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been 
pleased to solace themselves and the house. Is it that insidious 
smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it 
not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves 
to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious re- 
ception of our petition comports with those warlike preparations 
which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies 
necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown 
ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled, that force must be called 
in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These 
are the implements of war and subjugation, — the last arguments to 
which kings resort. 

What hopes do you suppose were raised by the gentle- 
men who preceded Patrick Henry in the debate? What is 



READING 227 

the meaning of "solace"? What was the conduct of the 
British ministry towards the colonies during the ten years 
preceding the year 1775? What is the meaning of "insidi- 
ous smile"? What incident in Biblical history is sug- 
gested by the sixth sentence? Show the appropriateness of 
the comparison. State in your own words the thought of 
the last sentence. 

I ask, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to 
force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible 
motive for it? Has Great Britain any enemy in this quarter of the 
world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, 
sir, she has none. They are meant for us ; they can be meant for 
no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those 
chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. 

What does "other," in the fourth sentence, refer to- 
W^hat is the meaning of the last sentence? 

And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try arguments? 
Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we any- 
thing new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held 
the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been 
all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty, and humble supplication? 
What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? 

What is the peculiar force of "nothing" ? 

Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves longer. Sir, we 
have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which 
is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we 
have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, 
and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands 
of the ministry and parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; 
our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our 
suppHcations have been disregarded; and we have been spurned 
with contempt from the foot of the throne. 



228 MODERN METHODS 

What is the meaning of ''to avert the storm that is now 
coming on" ? State the various things that the colonies did 
to estabUsh cordial relations with the Mother Country, and 
state the result of each. 

In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of 
peace and reconciliation! There is no longer any room for hope. 
If we wish to be free ; if we mean to preserve inviolate those inesti- 
mable privileges for which we have been so long contending; if 
we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have 
been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never 
to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained, 
—we must fight! I repeat it, sir, — we must fight! An appeal to 
arms, and to the God of hosts, is all that is left us. 

What is the special significance of "There is no longer 
any room for hope" ? Why does Patrick Henry enumerate 
the reasons why, after all, the colonies would have to fight ? 
What efifect was produced on his hearers by placing the 
fundamental purpose, "If we wish to be free," first in this 
enumeration? What is the force of the words, ''basely 
to abandon the noble struggle"? What special emphasis 
attaches to the words, "I repeat it, sir"? What, do you 
suppose, was the efifect of the words, "We must fight," 
which sounded as the doom of fate on the Loyalist Party? 
What efifect did these words have on the Revolutionary 
Party? 

They tell us, sir, that we are weak, — unable to cope with so 
formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it 
be the next week, or the next year ? Will it be when we are totally 
disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every 
house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? 
Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by h'ing supinely 
on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of Hope, until our 
enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? 



READING 229 

What is the. antecedent of "they," in the first sentence? 
Why did the orator put his thoughts into the shape of inter- 
rogative sentences? State, in your own words, the mean- 
ing of the last sentence. 

Sir, we are not weak, if we make a proper use of those means 
which the God of nature hath placed in our power. Three millions 
of people armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country 
as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our 
enemy can send against us. 

The population of England in 1775 was i8,cx)0,ooo. 
England had a powerful army and navy. We had neither. 
Does the second sentence appear boastful? What is the 
grammatical relation of ''armed in the holy cause of Lib- 
erty" ? How would that help to make us invincible ? What 
effect did this declaration have upon the lukewarm friends 
of the Revolutionary movement in the convention? Upon 
the Tories? 

Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just 
God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise 
up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the 
strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, 
sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is 
now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in 
submission and slavery. Our chains are forged. Their clanking 
may be heard on the plains of Boston. The war is inevitable. And 
let it come! I repeat, sir, let it come! 

Show that the prophecy as contained in the second sen- 
tence was actually fulfilled during the Revolution. What 
does the third sentence mean ? How does he "cut all bridges" 
behind him and the colonists ? Explain why it was too late 
in 1775 to retire from the contest. Explain the force of 
the sixth sentence. What is the significance of "our chains 



230 MODERN METHODS 

are forged"? What historic event warranted his saying 
''their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston"? 
What is the climax of the paragraph? Why may it be 
looked upon as a declaration of war on Henry's part? 

It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry 
peace, peace, but there is no peace. War is actually begun. The 
next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the 
clash of resounding arms. Our brethren are already in the field. 
Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What 
would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be pur- 
chased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty 
God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, 
give me liberty, or give me death! 

What authority did the orator have for the statement in 
the third sentence? W^ho are referred to in the fifth 
sentence ? Why the choice of the word "brethren" ? Explain 
the cumulative effect of the questions in leading up to the 
climax of the paragraph. Was "Forbid it, Almighty God !" 
spoken as a prayer or a demand ? 

Why should the part of the speech closing with "We must 
fight," be delivered in an argumentative style? Picture the 
orator as he delivered the climax of this first part. 

During the second part the orator became very emotional, 
and his delivery naturally more impassionate. Observe 
how he prepared his audience for the climax in each para- 
graph. Picture the orator as he delivered the sentence, "Is 
life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the 
price of slavery?" What change in the attitude and voice 
as he spoke "Forbid it, Almighty God !" ? Why should the 
word "liberty" be read with jubilant and triumphant tones? 
What change in attitude and voice is suggested by the clos- 
ing words, "or give me death"? 

The following paragraph, taken from Mace's Primary 



READING 231 

History of the United States, will assist the reader in his 
appreciation of the climax : 

One who heard this speech says that when the orator spoke the 
words "chains and slavery," he stood like a slave, with his body 
bent, his wrists crossed, as if bound by chains, and that his face 
looked like that of a hopeless slave. After a solemn pause he 
raised his eyes and chained hands toward heaven, and said as if in 
prayer: "Forbid it. Almighty God!" He then slowly bent his body 
still nearer the floor, looking like a man oppressed, heart-broken, 
and helpless, and said, "I know not what course others may take." 
Then rising grandly and proudly with every muscle strained, as if 
he would break his imaginary chains, he exclaimed: "Give me 
liberty, or give me death!" 

When you thoroughly understand the thought suggested 
by the address, and feel the emotion it inspires, read it in 
such a way as to express your interpretation of it. 



THE SHASTA DAISY 

— Adapted. 

In England there grew a daisy larger than his little wild friend 
and coarser in stem and flower. In Japan grew another daisy, not 
large, but of exquisite purity of color and almost dazzling white- 
ness. On our ovv'n hills grew the American daisy, small, tenacious 
of life, hardy of constitution, not so white in its petals as its distant 
Japanese relative, not so large as its English cousin — Mr. Burbank 
determined to unite the three. So from three continents he chose a 
daisy, the best he could get; from them he made a fourth, the most 
wonderful daisy ever seen. 

In the scheme laid out for the new daisy, there were certain well- 
defined characteristics to be developed. He wished a daisy that 
should have grace, beauty, hardiness. He wanted a slender but 
firm stem at least two feet in length, free from all branches; a 
blossom larger than any daisy ever before seen; petals of the purest 
white. And so seeds from these plants from distant quarters of the 
globe were sown, and when they came to blossom he crossed them. 



232 MODERN METHODS 

combining each with the other, joining them in a union as intimate 
as Hfe, as powerful as death. 

The seeds from the first united flower were not more than six or 
eight in number. These were sown, and from the plants which 
grew only the very best and those approaching the ideal were 
chosen, so that at the second stage of the test there were probably 
fifty seeds. This, of course, gave a greatly enlarged number in the 
progression, and soon there were a hundred thousand seeds, all 
having come from plants which had been selected from their fellows. 
As soon as the plants were large enough to transplant they were 
taken up and set out again on a plot of ground an acre in extent. 

When the hundred thousand daisies were well started in their 
new home, selection began. During the six months that they were 
in bloom, they were subjected to constant supervision and scrutiny. 
The variations from the parent stock in leaf, stalk, petal, size — all 
were noted, and the instant a plant was found which in any one of 
these particulars threw light upon the general problem, it was set 
apart. Now and then there would be one with grace and strength 
but no beauty; again, one with a wonderful blossom on a stumpy 
little stem, now one on a lovely long stem but cloudy as to color. 
Out of the hundred thousand plants, those were chosen which came 
nearest the ideal, and their seeds were in turn planted. This process 
was repeated for eight years. 

Finally Mr. Burbank produced a flower combining all the desirable 
qualities adapted to average conditions. This flower was from 
three inches in diameter for the smaller ones to over six inches in 
diameter where conditions approached the ideal. 

An extremely interesting feature of the new flower is that it 
seems to have lost all its bad habits. Where once it was, at the 
best, a pest to be dreaded, multiplying with remarkable rapidity 
and driving absolutely necessary food products to the wall, it now 
keeps itself apart from the weeds of its ancestry in a certain aristo- 
cratic exclusiveness. It produces but very little seed and that large 
in size. 

From the first time he saw it, Mr. Burbank had always held in 
deep veneration Mount Shasta, a snow-capped peak of the high 
Sierras, one of the conspicuous landmarks of California. As the 
name of the mountain means white, and as its summit is always 
covered with a coronal of snow, he chose the name Shasta as 
peculiarly fitting for the new daisy. 



. READING 233 

THOUGHT ANALYSIS 

What are the characteristics of the EngHsh daisy? The 
Japanese daisy? The American daisy? What was the 
determination of Mr. Burbank in regard to these three 
daisies ? 

Name the characteristics that the new daisy was to have. 
What was the first thing he did to secure the new daisy? 
What is meant by "He crossed them" ? Why was the union 
as "intimate as Hfe," as "powerful as death" ? 

What did Mr. Burbank do with the seeds and the result- 
ing plants from the first united flower? How many seeds 
did he have after the first test? How did he get the icmd,ooo 
seeds? 

What is meant by "selection"? Describe the process as 
given in the fourth paragraph. How did he proceed to 
solve his "problem" ? Account for the fact that the process 
consumed eight years. 

What is meant by "adapted to average conditions"? 
What was the size of the new daisy Mr. Burbank produced? 
Enumerate again the "desirable qualities." 

How does the new flower dififer from the American 
daisy ? 

What is meant by "coronal of snow"? Why is "Shasta" 
a good name for the new daisy? 

When pupils have read the selection and answered ques- 
tions like the above, they should be required, as a final exer- 
cise, to give a summary, either orally or in writing, based 
upon an outline somewhat as follows : 

1. The ancestors of the new daisy. 

2. The characteristics of the new daisy. 

3. The seeds of the first flower sown, the pollinating, and 
securing the ico,ooo seeds. 



234 MODERN METHODS 

4. The transplanting and successive selections made for 
eight years. 

5. The ideal reached in the new daisy. 

6. The new daisy has lost its bad habits. 

7. How Mr. Burbank came to call the new daisy the 
Shasta Daisy. 

SPRINGTIME 

— John Nagle. 
There is something in the vigorous march of springtime, sweeping 
over the meadows in luxuriant depths of living green, flinging out 
the banner of fragrant blossoms from fruit trees to kiss the wooing 
breeze, which recalls the springtime of life, when the spirit was 
buoyant, hope strong, and the future covered with a sheen of bright 
promise. "The tender grace of a day that is gone" may be brought 
back by an aimless ramble through the country one of these bright 
days. Nature is never more amiable. She woos you with a pro- 
fusion of flowers, and a melody as rich and dulcet as it is varied; 
the air is sweet with the fragrance of buds and blossoms, and the 
woods, in the fragile beauty of the tender leaves, are as lovely as 
a tinted transparency. The bobolink at this season, a trill of joyous 
song in flight, is everywhere; the robin's note is never still; the 
catbird's voice is heard at intervals; and the blackbird's whistle 
sounds sweet in this symposium of song. Go out for a ramble, and 
come back happy with having tasted some of the sweets of life 
more worthy of search than the things of ambition. 

Before a critical study of the selection is begun by the 
pupils, the teacher should read it expressively to the class 
without comments or interruptions, so that the music of the 
prose poem may appeal to the pupils. 

THOUGHT ANALYSIS 

What is meant by "march of springtime"? Show that 
the adjective "vigorous" is appropriately applied to the 
"march of springtime." Why "living green"? What is 
meant by the "springtime of life"? What are the things 



READING 235 

the author associates with the "springtime of life" ? Why 
''fragile beauty"? Read the fifth sentence, omitting "trill 
of joyous song in flight," and state the effect of the omis- 
sion on the thought and beauty of the sentence. What is 
meant by "symposium of song"? 

The author of this beautiful selection evidently possessed 
that fine, sensitive character which so readily responds to 
the ever-present yet beautiful things in nature. By making 
him the central figure in the difiFerent pictures that this 
selection presents, it will be found easy to enter into his 
thoughts and emotions as he takes his aimless ramble 
through the country. 

By skillful questioning on the part of the teacher the 
pupils may be encouraged to produce word pictures that 
will approach the following : 

It is a beautiful day in spring. The author hears the 
call of the woods, and, throwing aside his everyday task, 
joyously follows nature, who has come in all her splendor 
and asks him to commune with her. 

He revels in the beauties before him. With an appre- 
ciation of the artistic touches which nature has given to her 
"garden," he views the coloring of the meadows as they 
shade from the deepest velvety hues of green into the light- 
est, most delicate ones. The breeze touches the blossoms of 
the fruit trees, and the air around him becomes sweet with 
their fragrance. 

Nature was never more amiable. She offers him all her 
beautiful flowers. The birds sing to him, filling the air 
with exquisite melodies. He is reminded of his youth. 
He is joyously happy, and in his happiness urges all to go 
out for a ramble through the country, away from the noises 
and turmoil of the city, so that they, too, may come back to 
their life's work refreshed and happy. 



236 MODERN METHODS 

MOTHER 

—Adapted. 

There is no injunction which appeals more strongly to man's 
affection than the one which reads, "Honor thy father and thy 
mother." When a man thinks of the affection his mother has 
lavished on him, the sacrifices she has made for him, the faith she 
has in him, he must be worse than a brute if he allows the warm 
current of his love ever to be turned away from her. 

THOUGHT ANALYSIS 

Before studying this .selection the pupils should be en- 
couraged to read it silently and reflect on the thoughts 
contained in it. What does the selection mean to you? is 
the general question which pupils should answer. 

To assist the pupils in their interpretation of the selection 
questions like the following may be asked: Where does 
the injunction "Honor thy father and thy mother" come 
from? What does it mean to you? Are we sometimes 
selfish towards our parents? What are some of the sacri- 
fices your mother has made for you? Can you conceive of 
a mother ever losing faith in her boy ? What determination 
is strengthened by the reading of this selection? 



THE TEACHING OF SPELLING 

DIFFICULTIES OF ENGLISH SPELLING 

Orthography, as the word signifies, means the correct rep- 
resentation of spoken words in writing. Words are, how- 
ever, in many instances not spelled as they are pronounced. 
If each sound had but one letter to represent it, spelling 
would be comparatively easy, but we know that the same 
sound is often indicated in various ways. In the words 
"shoe," "to," "two," "too," "Heu," "blew," "blue," "view" 
and "through" virtually the same sound is spelled in nine 
different ways. 

Many letters are retained in the spelling of words which 
are not sounded. They constitute, so to say, the silent 
freight in words ; for example, the "b" and "e" in "subtle ;" 
the "g" in "sign ;" and the "k" and "gh" in "knight." Again, 
letters are used to indicate sounds where the necessity is 
not apparent at all, for we have letters to signify such 
sounds regularly ; for example, the "o" and "e" in the word 
"women" are sounded like short "i." The use of the same 
letter for different sounds and different letters for the same 
sound give rise to the greatest difficulties in spelling. 

SPELLING A FEW HUNDRED YEARS AGO 

The modern difficulties in spelling were not always diffi- 
culties. Before the first English dictionary was published 
people tried to write words as they were pronounced. Often, 
to be sure, this resulted in the grotesque spelling of words. 

237 



238 MODERN METHODS 

Even people occupying high stations in Ufe allowed them- 
selves much latitude in writing words. It is said of Queen 
Elizabeth that in her official correspondence she spelled the 
word "sovereign" in nine different ways. 

With the publication of Samuel Johnson's dictionary in 
the middle of the eighteenth century the written spelling of 
words virtually became fixed. But in many instances Dr. 
Johnson recognized vagaries in spelling, most of which are 
still found in the ^'modern" spelling book. 

THE OBJECTIVE POINT OF SPELLING REFORM 

To write words as they are spoken today and not as they 
were spoken centuries ago is the objective point of spelling 
reform. Obsolete spellings of words should be eliminated, 
and the changes in the spoken language which are brought 
about in the course of time should be reflected in the written 
language. In this way, though we may never hope to see 
spelling simplified to the extent of having every irregularity 
of our language banished, there would come some modifica- 
tion and simplification which would make spelling harmonize 
better with the present-day pronunciation of words. In 
this way, also, the written word would more readily suggest 
to the reader the spoken word, and spelling and reading 
would both be made easier for children. 

THE DUTY OF THE SCHOOL 

But it will probably take many years before spelling re- 
form is introduced. Meanwhile the duty of the teacher is 
plain. We may rail against our foolish orthography as 
much as we please, — finally the spelling of words must be 
taught in the form in which they are found in books, and 
thus the spelling grind now as of yore is a "cross" which 
both teachers and pupils must learn to bear unflinchingly 



SPELLING 239 

until the dawn of spelling reform. But even though spelling 
is so difificult to master and though years must be spent in 
the effort, the school must nevertheless do what lies in its 
power to make good spellers of the pupils. 

Society does not tolerate poor spelling. It insists on look- 
ing upon a poor speller as one whose education has been 
neglected. Every misspelled word is likely to be considered 
an affront to the reader. The business man has come to look 
upon poor spellers with disfavor. It is becoming increas- 
ingly difficult for young men and women to secure and hold 
positions in the business world if they are unable to spell. 

SOURCES OF SPELLING LISTS 

What words should the children in the elementary school 
learn to spell ? is a question that is difficult to answer. Any 
standard dictionary contains over 400,000 words. It is ob- 
viously impossible to have pupils learn to spell all the words 
of the language. All that the school can hope to accom- 
plish is to teach the pupils about 5000 or 6000 words and to 
help them cultivate a "spelling conscience" which will send 
them to the dictionary when they are in doubt as to the 
spelling of words. 

These 5000 or 6000 words naturally will be the words 
with which the pupils become familiar in the study of read- 
ing, language, geography and other school subjects, and 
through their daily contact with children and adults, and 
through their general life experiences. 

SHOULD THE SPELLING BOOK BE ABOLISHED 

Theoretically the application of this principle of selection 
would demand the abolition of the speller as a textbook, but 
only theoretically, for the speller serves an important pur- 



240 MODERN METHODS 

pose, artificial though it must ever be in its construction. 
The speller contains words which cannot be traced to any 
particular book but which are nevertheless in the pupils' 
vocabulary. It presents lessons to be mastered in definite 
form and hence enables even immature and inexperienced 
teachers to secure fairly good results. The teaching of 
spelling would undoubtedly deteriorate if each teacher were 
to make his own speller, but the principle above mentioned 
should receive recognition in considering the subject matter 
for spelling. The body of words should come from the 
speller and the various branches of study taught in the 
school, and should include the words found in the average 
person's vocabulary. 

WORDS FOR THE FIRST AND SECOND GRADES 

The selection of the fundamental words for the first and 
second grades should be based on the reader used, the 
stories told, nature study and the needs of the pupils in 
written work. In general, the list of words should repre- 
sent the words which in the estimation of the teacher 
should be in the written vocabulary of the pupils. 

How many words should be selected for each grade? 
We are tempted as a rule to include too many rather than 
too few words. Two hundred words for the first grade 
and 300 for the second should suffice. These should be so 
selected that they clearly come within the range of the 
pupils' knowledge and development. This, however, does 
not mean that no other words will be learned. It repre- 
sents the formal list, and naturally does not include words 
which pupils are taught preliminary to the simple exercises 
in written composition which may be introduced in these 
grades, particularly the second. Then, again, while the 
pupils are reading, the form of new words is impressed on 



SPELLING 241 

the mind so that unconsciously they are learning to spell in 
connection with reading and knowledge subjects. 

It should be remembered also that the words decided upon 
for the first and second grades must be subject to change 
from year to year, depending upon the readers, the stories 
and other material for language work that may be used. 

THE SPELLER 

Beginning with the third grade a spelling book should be 
used. Naturally the words in the speller should be carefully 
graded according to the vocabulary of the children and the 
orthographical difficulties the words present. 

HOW THE WORDS SHOULD BE PRINTED 

Various devices have been introduced into spellers with 
the hope of making spelling easier. Words are printed in 
syllables, the accent marked, the silent letters indicated and 
diacritical marks introduced. In some spellers a three-col- 
umn arrangement of the words is found. In the first column 
each word appears in print; in the second column it is 
syllabicated, the accent marked and the sounds of the vowels 
and consonants indicated; and in the third column the 
simple definition of the word is given. While these innova- 
tions may be helpful, most teachers are coming to think that 
the words in the speller should be printed as they are found 
in books, periodicals and newspapers, and that definitions 
should not be introduced. Each word should be a unit 
which the pupil may master by analyzing it himself. 

SHOULD WORDS APPEAR MORE THAN ONCE 

It is claimed that words which will prove difficult for 
children should be inserted a number of times. In this way, 



242 MODERN METHODS 

it is thought, the necessary drill on these troublesome words 
will be assured. To this may be replied that no maker of a 
spelling book can determine beforehand the words that will 
prove troublesome to all the children. It is only as a result 
of the daily class experience that such lists can be intelli- 
gently determined Upon. And even the class experience of 
the teacher does not enable her to produce lists of words 
that all pupils find difficult. Finally, individual lists of the 
troublesome words must be prepared. Each pupil will dis- 
cover that certain words to him are difficult, but that his 
list of troublesome words differs from that of his fellow 
pupils. 

WORDS FROM KNOWLEDGE LESSONS 

It is also unwise pedagogically to introduce many words 
from geography, nature study, arithmetic, physiology and 
other knowledge subjects into the speller, because no maker 
of a speller can tell just when these more or less technical 
words need to be learned. These lists should be prepared by 
the teacher when needed, and should be added to the pupils' 
individual lists. 

DICTATION EXERCISES 

Should dictation exercises be introduced into the speller? 
While such exercises are important, it is best that they be 
given in connection with the reader. 

THE SPELLER SHOULD BE SMALL 

A Spelling book with words printed without adornments 
of diacritical and other marks and having i6o words to a 
page would not make a book of more than 40 pages, if 6000 
words were included. It would be a small book and pupils 
could easily be encouraged to master it, so that they would 



SPELLING 243 

become not "70 or 80 per cent but 100 per cent spellers" so 
far as these words are concerned. 



THE WISCONSIN TESTS 

MADE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
EDUCATION 

Some years ago the writer carried on a series of tests and 
investigations under the auspices of the State Department of 
Education of Wisconsin to determine, if possible, the special 
method of instruction in spelling that appeared to give the 
best results. Circulars embodying the tests were sent to 
several hundred principals throughout the State with the 
request that the tests be given as indicated. In the circular, 
emphasis was placed on the fact that the tests were not to 
serve as an examination of schools but as an examination of 
methods. Five different tests were made. 

THE FIRST TEST 

The first test consisted in submitting a list of twenty 
fairly difficult words to fifth-grade pupils for study without 
introducing a study recitation. The words were written 
upon the board, and after being pronounced by the teacher 
the pupils were told to study the lesson. No assistance 
whatever was to be given the pupils in learning to spell the 
words. After the expiration of fifteen minutes the teacher 
erased the words and gave a written test on them. In con- 
ducting the test the words were pronounced but once and 
written but once, and without erasures or corrections. The 
lists were then marked by the teachers and the results tab- 
ulated according to a given form. 



244 MODERN METHODS 

THE SECOND TEST 

In the second test twenty words were submitted which 
were to be taught by appeahng to the ear. Each word was 
pronounced clearly and distinctly by the teacher, the difficult 
syllable or syllables were pointed out orally to the pupils, 
and they were called on to spell each word in concert, pay- 
ing particular attention to the syllabication. The teacher 
was cautioned not to write the words on the board in this 
exercise and not to allow pupils to write the words except in 
the written test. 

THE THIRD TEST 

In the third test words were submitted to be taught by 
appealing to the eye. The teachers were directed to pro- 
nounce the first word slowly and distinctly, paying particular 
attention to the syllabication, and then to write the word on 
the board. They were requested to call attention to the syl- 
lable or syllables the sounds of which did not serve as clues 
to the spelling. They were asked to have the pupils look 
intently at the word to get a mental picture of it, and to 
proceed in this way with each word until the list was ex- 
hausted, being careful to consume just fifteen minutes for 
the study recitation. Then they conducted the written test 
and tabulated results. The pupils were not to write the 
words except in the written test. 

THE FOURTH TEST 

In the fourth test a list of twenty words was submitted to 
be taught by appealing to the ear, eye and hand. The fol- 
lowing directions were given to the teachers : Pronounce the 
first word slowly and distinctly. Then write it on the board 
and have the pupils pronounce it in concert. Call the atten- 



SPELLING 245 

tion of the pupils to the difficult syllable and have them spell 
it in concert. Then have the pupils look at the word as a 
whole and write it from memory. Proceed in this way with 
each word until the list is exhausted. Use just fifteen min- 
utes for the study recitation. Then conduct the written test 
and tabulate the results. 

THE FIFTH TEST 

In the fifth test the procedure was identical with that in 
the fourth except that only ten minutes were allowed the 
teacher to work with the pupils in teaching the words by 
appealing to the ear, eye and hand, and that at the expiration 
of the ten minutes the pupils were allowed five minutes for 
individual study. Then the written test was conducted and 
the results tabulated. 

RESULTS OF THE TESTS 

The first test was given to 3000 children. It was the test 
that called for individual study on the part of the pupils 
with no teaching on the part of the instructor. The total 
number of misspelled words was 15,392. 

In the second and third tests the relative importance of 
the ear and eye in learning to spell was established as shown 
by the following figures : 3025 children misspelled a total of 
25,876 words in the second test; that is, the test that con- 
sidered the teaching of the twenty words by appealing 
largely to the ear; the same group of children misspelled 
18,742 words in the third test, the one which appealed 
largely to the eye. These results clearly demonstrated that 
the eye plays a more important part in learning to spell than 
the ear. 

The fourth test was participated in by 3022 children. It 



246 MODERN METHODS 

was the test in which the teacher and pupils spent fifteen 
minutes in a study recitation in learning to spell the twenty 
assigned words by appealing to the ear, eye and hand.. In 
this test the pupils misspelled a total of 15,579 words, an in- 
crease of nearly 200 words over the number misspelled in 
the first test. The deduction to be made seemed to be that it 
is possible to do so much teaching that children get no 
chance to do any learning. 

The fifth test, that is, the one which combined the study 
recitation with individual study, showed the best results. It 
was given to 3024 children, who misspelled a total of 10,696 
words. This was a decrease of 5000 words as compared 
with the number of words misspelled in either the fifth or 
fourth test. 

THE CANADIAN TESTS 

The Wisconsin tests were conducted with words nearly 
all of which had meaning to the pupils. A few years ago an 
investigation of the spelling problem was made in Canada in 
which thousands of pupils were tested on the spelling of 
meaningless words, like "phrynx,'' ''hynik," "loque," etc. 

In the first test the list of words was spelled orally by the 
teacher and then the pupils were asked to reproduce them in 
writing. 

In the second test the words were printed on cards in large 
letters and held up before the class. After looking at the 
words for a time the pupils were required to reproduce them 
in writing. 

In the third test the printed words were exposed as in the 
second test and the pupils were asked to name the letters, 
combining them into syllables, and then to write each word. 
The pupils were then required to reproduce the words in 
writing. 



SPELLING 247 

RESULTS OF THE TESTS 

The tabulated results showed the following: In the first 
test, which may be called the auditory test, 44 per cent of 
the words were spelled correctly. In the second, or visual 
test, 60 per cent were spelled correctly. In the third, or 
visual-auditory-motor test, 74 per cent were spelled cor- 
rectly. 

The deductions to be made from these tests are similar to 
those made from the Wisconsin tests ; namely, that the best 
results in spelling are secured by appealing to the ear, eye 
and hand. In this way the strongest combination of the sen- 
sory elements is brought into play in impressing words on 
the mind. 

HOW THE TEACHING OF SPELLING MAY BE IMPROVED 

Spelling cannot be improved by securing for it the time on 
the program which it enjoyed forty and fifty years ago when 
spelling and the three R's reigned supreme, because the num- 
ber of branches that must now be taught in the elementary 
school precludes that. We must improve the teaching of 
spelling by applying rational methods of teaching to this sub- 
ject. Every teacher owes it to herself and her pupils to 
make a careful study of the method of teaching spelling to 
the end that she may contribute her share in reducing the 
difficulties in mastering the words of our language. Many 
such contributions, suggested by experience, have been 
made, but in spite of this we still seem to be laboring under 
the impression that any method or no method suffices in the 
teaching of spelling. Generally speaking, spelling is not 
taught at all. The only thing done is to test on words as- 
signed in the speller. But testing is not teaching. Modern 
pedagogy recognizes the fact that the teacher should actually 



248 MODERN METHODS 

teach spelling, and that with improved methods in teaching 
reading, arithmetic, geography and other subjects of the 
curriculum, there should come also improved methods of 
teaching spelling. 

But in applying method to the teaching of spelling it must 
not be forgotten that no method that has thus far been de- 
vised has proved a panacea. In the application of any 
method first place must be given to the personal equation of 
the teacher. This is nowhere exemplified with so much 
force as in the teaching of spelling. On the other hand care 
must be exercised not to fasten a personal method on any 
school. Teachers should not go off on a tangent with any 
one method. Several methods and devices must be used 
in relieving the weary grind of mastering the incongruities 
of English spelling. 

NUMBER OF NEW WORDS TO BE TAUGHT 

How many new words should be presented in an exercise ? 
is a question each teacher must determine for herself. As a 
rule, however, it will not be found necessary to teach more 
than four or five at any one time. The practice indulged in 
by some teachers of writing twenty or more words on the 
blackboard each day for study, which words include both 
the old and the new, is not in harmony with the principle of 
division of labor. New words should be taught and familiar 
words should be drilled upon, but the attempt should not be 
made to carry on both exercises at the same time. 

Most of the time of the study recitation should be de- 
voted to the words containing syllables and sounds which do 
not serve as clues to the spelling. These words must be 
studied individually. Little attention need be given to words 
to which the rules of spelling apply or which are spelled as 
they are pronounced. 



SPELLING 249 

While the ear, the eye and the hand should all come into 
play in learning to spell, the tests described above suggest 
that the eye and hand play the most important part in mas- 
tering the spelling of words. But while English spelling can 
never be learned by appealing to the ear, it must be re- 
membered that a word learned through several senses is 
more likely to be remembered than a word learned through 
but one sense ; hence it is urged that as many senses as pos- 
sible be brought into requisition in learning to spell. 

RELATION OF THE TEACHER TO THE PUPILS 

Teachers should always be sympathetic and kind in their 
relations with children, but especially in teaching spelling. 
They should bear with the children in their efforts in learn- 
ing to spell, and if they find that reasonable progress is not 
made by the children they should blame themselves rather 
than the pupils. 

Teachers should also bear in mind that poor spelling often 
is not due to a lack of effort on the part of the children but 
may be attributed to defective hearing, or seeing or other 
physical causes. Defective vision may consist in inability on 
the part of the pupil to focus both eyes upon a point, which 
results in words appearing blurred or indistinct. Near- 
sightedness also may prevent pupils from getting a correct 
picture of the word. Defective hearing may signify that the 
pupil is tone deaf and hence has difficulty in differentiating 
sounds. He may be nervous and lacking in motor-control, 
which may result in his producing awkward, scrawling word 
forms in writing instead of comparatively exact reproduc- 
tions of words. Any one of these defects is liable to in- 
crease the difficulty in learning to spell. 

If the teacher has cause to suspect that a pupil's inability 
to keep up with his classmates in spelling has a physical 



250 MODERN METHODS 

reason, she should suggest to the parent that the child be 
taken to a physician who can furnish treatment for the re- 
moval of the difficulty. 

THE TEACHING PROCESS 

The teaching process in spelling like that in other sub- 
jects resolves itself into teaching, drilling and testing. 

THE STUDY RECITATION 

The Presentation of the Words. When new words are to 
be taught the teacher may, with books open, pronounce the 
words slowly and distinctly, paying particular attention to 
the enunciation, articulation and syllabication. This should 
be followed by a drill on the pronunciation of the words, 
which may be individual or concert. If concert drill is in- 
troduced, and it can be introduced to great advantage, care 
should be taken to have the children use natural and low 
tones. Each new word should also be written on the black- 
board in large, rounded script. In this way the correct 
image of the word as a whole is presented to the eye. It is 
this form rather than the printed form which the pupils are 
to remember in writing. 

The Meaning of Words. If necessary, the meaning of 
the word should be given by a pupil or the teacher, and its 
use illustrated in a sentence. It has been demonstrated that 
children learn to spell words whose content is known to 
them more easily than words that are meaningless. It is 
claimed that psychological tests have disclosed the fact that 
words whose meaning is understood by pupils can be learned 
in one-fourth the time it takes to learn words not under- 
stood by pupils. If the words are taken from the reader or 
come from knowledge subjects the pupils are studying, lit- 



SPELLING 251 

tie attention need be devoted to the meaning of the words. 
In lessons from the speller, however, it will be found neces- 
sary to devote a little time to the meaning of the new words. 
This is one way of making vocabulary gains. "What chil- 
dren can do themselves should not be done for them," is a 
well-established maxim in teaching. Hence, if time permits, 
individual pupils may be called upon to use the new words in 
sentences and possibly define them in an off-hand way. If 
time precludes this, the teacher should use the new 
words in sentences and discuss their meaning. 

Use of the Dictionary. If dictionaries are supplied to the 
members of the class it might be well to encourage pupils to 
look up the meaning of words, but rigid insistence in de- 
manding on the part of the pupils the use of each new word 
in an original sentence is of doubtful propriety in the spell- 
ing exercise. 

Oral Drill Exercises. After the pupils have pronounced 
the new word and discussed its meaning and used it in a 
sentence, some time should be devoted to an oral drill in 
spelling, first while looking at the word, then without look- 
ing at it. Concert spelling may be used to a limited extent. 
In spelling the words orally the pupils should be required 
to spell by syllables. This will make the mastery of the 
word easier. Even in difficult words there are usually some 
syllables that are spelled as they are pronounced. These 
should be pointed out to the pupils. Finally the attention 
should be centered on the particular and individual difficulty 
that the word presents. In the oral spelling of the word, 
either by the teacher or pupil, the difficult part should be 
made to stand out forcibly. The custom of pronouncing 
each syllable after it is spelled orally has fallen into disre- 
pute, because of its unnatural,- mechanical and awkward 
features. 



252 MODERN METHODS 

The "Flash" Method. Various devices should be used in 
securing an accurate visual image of the new word. The 
teacher may use the "flash" method, that is, she may write 
the word on the board, and after calling the pupils' attention 
to the difficult combination of letters or silent letters require 
them to scrutinize carefully the word as a whole. Then she 
should erase it and have the pupils write it from memory. 
In the middle and upper grades where this method has been 
tested it was found that after a time pupils could get clear 
impressions of four or even five new arid difficult words with 
but one exposure, and that all could be written correctly 
from memory without the teacher's pronouncing the words 
to the class. 

In the lower grades it may be advisable to have the 
children write the word "in the air," first with their eyes 
on the word as it is written on the board, and then from 
memory. The word written from memory may be compared 
with the one written on the blackboard to test for accuracy 
of reproduction. 

The Coordination of Ear, Eye, Voice and Hand. Any de- 
vice which is calculated to secure prompt coordination of 
ear, eye, voice and hand in learning to spell may be intro- 
duced. The fact that ear-minded, eye-minded and motor- 
minded children are found in every class suggests the ad- 
visability of using a variety of devices in securing the cor- 
rect image and concept of words. But it bears repetition 
that, as a rule, the most effective way of learning the spell- 
ing of a word is to get a correct visual image of it and then 
to write it, thus reinforcing sight by muscular sensation. 

INDIVIDUAL STUDY BY PUPILS 

The study recitation should be followed by Individual 
study by pupils. This studying may be done at school or at 



SPELLING 253 

home. The home has many advantages over the school in 
this respect. At home the children are not handicapped by 
rules and regulations which prohibit the ear-minded child 
from pronouncing and spelling the words orally. It is the 
place best adapted for each pupil to study the words accord- 
ing to his individual needs. If in the time devoted to the 
individual study the children can be induced to write the 
difficult words several times in order to fix the correct 
forms in the mind, it will be found advisable, but to require 
pupils to write each word misspelled twenty or more times, 
whether as a punishment or a drill exercise, has little to 
commend it. The exercise becomes so mechanical that 
pupils often write words wrong, thus fastening incorrect 
forms on the eye and hand. 

TEST EXERCISES 

Test exercises should be of various kinds, such as oral 
spelling, written spelling, writing sentences and paragraphs 
from dictation, "spell-downs," etc. 

Oral and Written Spelling. While oral spelling serves an 
important pedagogical purpose in the study recitation, it 
should not be used extensively as a test exercise except pos- 
sibly in spelling matches. In life there is little demand for 
oral spelling. We do not learn to spell for the sake of 
spelling isolated words orally. Many pupils who spell well 
orally do not spell well in their written compositions, and yet 
ability to spell in written work must be considered the final 
test. Oral spelling also results in a waste of time. While 
one pupil spells several words orally, the other members of 
the class are usually idle. 

Tests Should Be Largely Written. Why, then, does the 
practice of oral spelling as a test exercise still obtain so 
largely in our schools? One reason is that a class exercise 



254 MODERN METHODS 

in oral spelling is less irksome than one in written spelling 
because it does not necessitate the marking of papers. But 
probably the main reason for the continuance of the practice 
of this form of testing lies in the fact that oral spelling is a 
tradition among teachers. Ever since the days of Noah 
Webster's blue-backed New England speller, children have 
stood up in spelling until they were "spelled-down." But 
even though this method may be sanctified by age it should 
give way to written spelling, which is not only more instruc- 
tive but meets practical necessities in written composition 
better than oral spelling. To sink the spelling of words into 
the automatic in all written work should be the objective 
point in teaching spelling, and hence the tests should be 
largely written and not oral. 

Spelling Matches, Whether pupils become interested in 
spelling depends largely on the teacher, because the con- 
tent of the spelling lesson does not appeal to children. There 
are various things a teacher can do to get the pupils to 
study their spelling lesson more willingly. Spelling matches, 
if rightly conducted, will prove a strong incentive in putting 
pupils in the right attitude toward spelling. They prove 
stimulative by fostering the spirit of emulation. But in 
spelling matches the problem of what to do with the poor 
spellers is ever present. Unless this class of pupils is 
reached, "spelling-down" may result in fostering laziness 
on the part of the poor spellers. To avoid this a good plan 
is to have the pupils who are "spelled-down" write each 
word pronounced by the teacher before it is spelled orally 
by a pupil ; thus their spelling in the match becomes written, 
and the fact that they are compelled to write every word is 
apt to prove an incentive to future study. 

Spelling contests between schools are often productive of 
good results. From a pedagogical standpoint the best way 



SPELLING 255 

to carry on such a contest is to have a body of words selected 
by the principals of the schools, which the pupils are to study 
for a month or more. Just before the "match" the repre- 
sentatives of the two schools should be chosen by lot. In- 
stead of having the pupils "spell-down," each pupil should 
participate in the contest until the time limit decided upon is 
reached. Each word misspelled should be charged against 
the side making the error, and at the close of the contest the 
side having the fewest errors will be declared the winner. If 
the contest is conducted in this way even the poor spellers 
will prepare for it, because no one knows who is to repre- 
sent the schools until the "drawing" takes place. 

A similar plan may be used for contests between two 
grades or rooms. The main value of spelling contests 
comes from the preparation made for the contests rather 
than from the actual participation in them, and any device 
like the above which is calculated to bring about concentra- 
tion of effort on the part of all the pupils instead of a 
sporadic effort by a selected few should be welcomed. 

Learning to Spell Through Reading. General progress in 
learning to spell finally depends on the pupils' forming the 
habit of scrutinizing each new word carefully in their 
private reading and study, both at school and at home. Those 
who read much and read carefully are usually good spellers. 
Beginning with the third grade it might be well for the 
teacher to spend a few minutes before or after each exercise 
in reading, geography or any other knowledge lesson, in 
having the pupils spell some of the words appearing in the 
lesson, thus cultivating the habit of looking critically at new 
words. 

Dictation Exercises. Dictation lessons based on subject 
matter studied in class constitute one of the greatest helps in 
learning to spell. They may be used both as general and 



256 MODERN METHODS 

special test exercises. In the lower grades it may be best to 
have pupils study a stanza of poetry or a paragraph of the 
reading lesson preparatory to requiring them to write the 
selection from dictation. After the fourth or fifth grade, 
when the ability to spell the vocabulary of everyday life has 
been assured, the teacher should dictate excerpts from the 
knowledge lessons without the preliminary study having 
been devoted to the selection. This will have the effect of 
causing pupils to hold themselves responsible at all times for 
writing from dictation, parts of what they have read and 
studied. 

Naturally, however, the teacher will exercise care in mak- 
ing selections for dictation. The speaking and reading vo- 
cabulary always exceeds the written vocabulary, and hence 
selections used for dictation should not be much beyond the 
compass of the written vocabulary of the pupils. Dictation 
also strengthens habits of attention and accuracy, and in- 
directly secures a ''current hand" in penmanship. 

Copying Parts of the Reading Lesson. In the primary 
grades, and especially in the second grade, copying para- 
graphs of a reading lesson, while not the most interesting 
exercise, is nevertheless one of the best drills in spelling. 
Hardly a day should pass without devoting a few minutes 
to copying parts of the reading exercise and having the 
pupils compare their spelling of the words with the spelling 
of the words in the book. 

SPECIAL LISTS 

Special lists of various kinds should be prepared by both 
teachers and pupils. Beginning with the third grade the 
teacher should make a list of the words the pupils in this 
grade have found difficult to spell. This list will be made 



SPELLING ^ 257 

up mostly of the puzzling small words that are constantly 
used in writing, but which are frequently misspelled. It will 
contain such words as "to," "two," "here," "hear," "any," 
"many," "much," "which," "whose," "until," "nickel," 
"truly," "goes," "seize," etc. These lists should be drilled on 
most and should be passed on to the teacher of the fourth 
grade, who should again drill and test on them, and, adding 
to the lists, pass them on to the fifth-grade teacher, and so 
through the other grades of the elementary school. 

Each pupil should be encouraged to prepare a private list 
of words most troublesome to him. This constitutes his 
"black list," to which he must give special attention during 
his spare moments to the end that he may thoroughly master 
the words. 

REVIEW EXERCISES 

Finally, though the study recitation be conducted peda- 
gogically and children as a result gain proficiency in spell- 
ing the words assigned each day, the absolute power to spell 
correctly the 5000 or 6000 common words which should be 
in every person's written vocabulary, can only be gained by 
constant and untiring reviews. 

DAILY REVIEW OF OLD WORDS 

The year or class list, however it may be made up, should 
not be so long as to render impossible the almost daily re- 
view of old words. It should take not more than fifteen 
minutes to spell in writing a hundred or more review words, 
so that in ten days' time the words learned in any one 
year can be reviewed. Eliminating the words from each 
year's list with which the pupils have experienced little or 
no trouble, sufficient time can be secured for reviewing 
many times each year the lists of troublesome words. 



258 MODERN METHODS 

WORDS SHOULD NOT BE MISPRONOUNCED 

In these review exercises as well as in the daily written 
spelling tests, the teacher should guard against suggesting to 
pupils the spelling of unaccented syllables by mispronounc- 
ing the word. Pupils are not really helped if, for example, 
the teacher in pronouncing the word "separate" gives the 
"a" in the second syllable the long sound, thus suggesting the 
spelling of the syllable. The words should be pronounced 
naturally and rapidly so that the pupils may simply know 
what word is referred to. 

RECORDS OF EFFICIENCY 

The teacher should keep a record of the work of her class 
that will disclose the gains in efficiency. Discussing these 
records with the pupils from time to time, the teacher 
should endeavor to enlist their interest and effort in improv- 
ing the showing of the class. Enthusiasm on the part of the 
teacher begets enthusiasm on the part of the pupils even in 
spelling. Many a child has learned to spell not because of 
any inherent interest in spelling, but because of the desire 
to please the teacher. 



INDEX 



Composition, Written 
When to begin, loi 
Early work in, loi 
Work of second grade, loi 
Work of third grade, 102 
Reproduction of stories, 102 
Legibility in penmanship, 104 
Freedom of expression, 104 
Original composition work, 105 
Relation of topical recitations to, 106 
Use of outlines, 106 

Compositions an outgrowth of living speech, 107 
Length of compositions, 107 
Based on biography and history, 107 
Subjects for original themes, 108 
Securing freedom, 109 
Suggestive topics, 109 

Purpose of composition in grammar grades, no 
Special aims of teacher, no 
Compositions, Correction of 
General suggestions, 125 
Directions to pupils, 125 
Purposes of corrections, 126 
Suggestive corrections, 127 
Self-criticism, 127 
Illustrative Exercises, 127-130 

The Life of a Newsboy, 127 

Description of My Friend, 129 

Description of a Classmate, 129 

Jerry, The Tramp, 130 
Critical Study of Selections as Models of Style 
Purpose of, 131 
Results of, 131 

259 



260 INDEX 

Critical Study of Selections as Models of Style — Continued 
Illustrative Exercises, 132-148 

Hans Sachs, 132 

The Proud Poplar Tree, 134 

The Robin's Song, 135 

Ole Bull, 136 

How Good Fortune Came to Pierre, 139 

Kannitverstan, 143 
Dramatization 

Suitable stories for, 55 
Freedom of expression in, 55 
Illustrative Exercises, 56-68 

The Three Butterflies, 56 

The Wise Judge, 60 

Diogenes, 62 

The Blind Senator, 64 

The Englishman and the Frenchman, 67 
Language^ The Teaching of 

Cosmopolitan population a factor, i 

Relation between thought and language, i 

Influence of home, 2 

Function of teacher, 2 

Course of Study in Elementary Grades, 149-158 

First grade, 149 

Second grade, 150 

Third grade, 151 

Fourth grade, 153 

Fifth grade, 154 

Sixth grade, 155 

Seventh grade, 157 

Eighth grade, 158 
Letter Writing 

Why it appeals to children, iii 

As a form of written composition, iii 

Naturalness in, iii 

Relation to theme writing, 112 

In the primary grades, 112 

Use of model letters, 113 

Mechanics of, 113 

Business letters in upper grades, 113 



INDEX 261 



Letter Writing — Continued 

Model informal letters, 1 14-120 
Informal letters of invitation, 120-121 
Business letters, 122 
Formal invitations and replies, 123 
Observation Language Lessons 
Children as observers, 5 
Purposes of these lessons, 5 
Selection of materials, 6 
Method of presentation, 6 
Influence on language, 7 
How the fact side may be relieved, 7 
Method of procedure, 8 
Illustrative Exercises, 9-12 

Sir Robin, 9 

Germination, 10 
Pictures, Study of 

Why they should be studied, 87 
What pictures to select, 88 
Necessary preparation of teacher, 88 
How to study pictures, 89 
Illustrative Exercises, 90-100 

Saved, 90 

The Doctor, 92 

The Quiet Stream, 94 

The Turbulent Stream, 96 

The Young Artist, 98 
Poetry, Study of 
Purpose of, 69 
Mother Goose Melodies, 69 
Poems for primary grades, 70 
Poetry above second grade, 70 
Method of teaching poems, 70 
Biography of poets, 71 
Committing poems to memory, 72 
Illustrative Exercises, 72-86 

The Little Jewels, 72 

The World is Full of Beauty, 74 

The Disappointed Snowflakes, 75 

Farewell to the Farm, 'jy 



262 INDEX 

Poetry, Study of — Continued 

King Solomon and the Ants, 78 

America, 81 

Abou Ben Adhem, 83 

To a Waterfowl, 83 

The Recessional, 85 
Reading, Teaching of 

- Purposes and Methods of, 159 
Statement of the aim by teacher, 159 
Preparation for the new lesson, 160 
Securing the thought content, 160 
Oral reading by teacher, 160 
Silent reading by pupils, 161 
Oral reading by pupils, 162 
Silent reading as a means of approach, 162 
Oral reading of units of thought, 163 
Thought analysis, 163 
Critical reading of a selection, 164 
Expressive reading of a selection, 166 
Basis of expressive reading, 166 
Goal in expressive reading, 167 
Proper use of voice in expressive reading, 167 
Proper breathing, 167 
Proper phrasing, 168 
Rapid reading to be avoided, 168 
Recognition of imitative faculty, 168 
Oral reading at home, 169 
Reader should face the class, 169 
Assistance by teacher, 170 
Correct posture, 170 
Reading of old selections, 171 
Reproduction of what is read, 171 
Preparation and use of outline, 172 
Valuable language exercises, 172 
Outlines on knowledge subjects, 172 
Written exercises, 173 
Concert reading, 173 
Advantages of concert reading, 174 
Sight and supplementary reading, 175 
FHghty reading should be avoided, 177 



INDEX 263 



Reading, Teaching of — Continued 

Rapid sight reading should be developed, 177 
Reading only a means to an end, 178 
Illustrative Exercises, 180-236 

The Story of a Lost Lamb, 180 
The Sandpiper, 192 
Trailing Arbutus, 196 
The Uprising — 1775, 198 
Lincoln's Gettysburg Speech, 205 
A Selection from Rip Van Winkle, 208 
A Selection from Evangeline, 212 
At the Open Chapel, 220 
After All, We Must Fight, 225 
The Shasta Daisy, 231 
Springtime, 234 
Mother, 22)(> 
Speller, The 

How the words should be printed, 241 
Repetition of words, 241 
Words from knowledge lessons, 242 
Dictation exercises, 242 
Spelling 

Difficulties of English spelling, 237 
Spelling a few hundred years ago, 237 
Objective point of spelling reform, 238 
Duty of the school, 238 
Sources of spelling lists, 239 
Abolishing the spelling book, 239 
Words for the first and second grades, 240 
Wisconsin tests and results, 243-245 
Canadian tests and results, 246-247 
Improving the teaching of spelling, 247 
Number of new words to be taught, 248 
Relation of teacher to pupils, 249 
Teaching process, 250 
Presentation of words, 250 
Meaning of words, 250 
Use of the dictionary, 251 
Oral drill exercises, 251 
"Flash" method, 252 



264 INDEX 

S FELLING — Continued 

Coordination of ear, eye, voice and hand, 252 
Individual study by pupils, 252 
Test exercises, 253 
Oral and written tests, 253 
Spelling matches, 254 
Learning to spell through reading, 255 
Dictation lessons, 255 
Copying parts of the reading lesson, 256 
Special lists, 256 
Review exercises, 257 
Mispronunciation of words, 258 
Records of efficiency, 258 
Story Telling 

Types of stories and value of, 13 

Stories from history, 13 

Grotesque narratives, 14 

Humorous stories, 14 

Biographical stories, 14 

Importance of story telling, 14 

Teacher's preparation, 15 

How stories should be told, 15 

Appealing to the creative imagination, 17 

Selected Stories and How to Tell Them, 19-28 

The Eye of God, 19 

The Beautiful Rays, 21 

The Crocodile, the Tiger, and the Traveler, 23 

The Herdman's Flute, 24 

Hans the Braggart, 25 
Selected Stories Appealing to the Creative Imagination, 28-39 

Birdie, 29 

The Bremen Town Musicians, 31 

The Shoemaker and the Elves, 36 
Selected Biographical Stories, 40-54 

The Boyhood of Lincoln, 40 

Croesus, 50 

Leonidas at Thermopylae, 52 
Telegrams 

Length and form, 114 

Illustrative telegrams, 123-124 > 



